Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T02:26:02.108Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sweating response in cattle and its relation to rectal temperature, tolerance of sun and metabolic rate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

Virginia A. Finch ,
I. L. Bennett  and
C. R. Holmes
Virginia A. Finch
Affiliation:
Tropical Cattle Research Centre, C.S.I.R.O. Division of Tropical Animal Science, North Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
I. L. Bennett
Affiliation:
Tropical Cattle Research Centre, C.S.I.R.O. Division of Tropical Animal Science, North Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
C. R. Holmes
Affiliation:
Tropical Cattle Research Centre, C.S.I.R.O. Division of Tropical Animal Science, North Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Sweating rates were analysed in relation to rectal temperatures of cattle to yield a measure of sweating response within and between animals. The measurements, performed over 36 days, were done in a natural radiant environment on six steers in each of three breeds, Brahman (B), Brahman × Hereford–Shorthorn cross-breds (BX), and Shorthorn (S). Each steer was recorded for 30 min on six occasions randomly distributed among 6 h between 08.00 and 13.00 h, and on six occasions between 11.00 and 16.00 h, all on different days. Sweating response, e.g. the linear slope of the relationship between sweat rate and rectal temperature, was greater for B (294 g/m2. h/°C) than for BX (146 g/m2.h/°C) or S (194 g/m2.h/°C) which did not differ; this helped to explain why the range and mean rectal temperature in B were lower and little affected by environmental heat. Curvilinear models of the sweating response indicated that in the environmental conditions of this study, the limit of sweating for B and BX was not reached, while for S, the sweating response approached a plateau. Between animals, the relationship of sweating response to mean rectal temperature was negative (P < 0·01) and its relationship to the time spent in the sun at pasture positive (P < 0·025). Thus this measure of sweating response was a good indicator of thermoregulatory ability of the cattle. However, the sweating response of the steers did not relate to their grazing time or growth. The reasons for this are discussed. Finally, the sweating response was found to be negatively correlated with metabolic rate between animals within breeds (P < 0·01) and this suggested that it may be difficult to combine the desirable traits of good heat adaptation and high metabolic potential in cattle.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 99 , Issue 3 , December 1982 , pp. 479 - 487
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Amakrii, S. F. & Funseo, O. N. (1979). Studies in rectal temperature, respiratory rates and heat tolerance in cattle in the humid tropics. Animal Production 28, 329–335.Google Scholar
Berman, A. (1971). Thermoregulation in intensively laotating cows in near-natural conditions. Journal of Physiology 215, 477–489.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, T. E. & Kelly, C. F. (1955). The globe thermometer in agricultural research. Agricultural Engineering 36, 251–260.Google Scholar
Brody, S. (1945). Bioenergetics and Growth. New York: Reinhold.Google Scholar
Cabernac, M. (1975). Temperature regulation. Annual Review of Physiology 37, 415–439.Google Scholar
Finch, V. A. (1973). Thermoregulation and heat balance in some East African herbivores. Ph.D. thesis, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.Google Scholar
Frisch, J. E. (1981). Changes occurring in oattle as a consequence of selection for growth rate in a stressful environment. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 96, 23–38.Google Scholar
Jenkinson, B. McE. & Robertshaw, D. (1971). Studies on the nature of sweat gland ‘fatigue’ in the goat. Journal of Physiology (London) 212, 445–465.Google Scholar
Larkin, R. M. (1954). Observations on the grazing behaviour of beef cattle in tropical Queensland. The Queensland Journal of Agricultural Science 11, 115–141.Google Scholar
McLean, J. A. (1972). On the calculation of heat production from open-circuit calorimetric measurements. British Journal of Nutrition 27, 597–600.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schleger, A. V. & Turner, H. G. (1965). Sweating rates of cattle in the field and their reaction to diurnal and seasonal changes. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 16, 92–106.Google Scholar
Seebeck, R. M. (1982). Sysnova Version 9 Reference Manual. Canberra: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.Google Scholar
Turner, H. G. (1982). Genetic variation of rectal temperature in cows and its relationship to fertility. Animal Production (in the Press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vercoe, J. E. & Frisch, J. E. (1982). Animal breeding for improved productivity. Proceedings of an International Symposium on Nutritional Limits to Animal Production from Pasture, Brisbane. Slough, U.K.: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux.Google Scholar
Watts, P. R. (1977). A calorimetric analysis of circardian rhythms in the distribution of body temperatures in ox calves (Bos taurus). Journal of Thermal Biology 2, 69–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woodcock, A. H., Pratt, R. L. & Breckenridge, J. R. (1960). Theory of the globe thermometer. Research Study Report BP7, Quartermaster Research and Engineering Centre, Nastic, Mass.Google Scholar
Yeates, N. T. M. (1977). The coat and heat retention in cattle: studies in the tropical maritime climato of Fiji. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88, 223–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar