Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T10:37:28.671Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Comparison of different measuring methods for body temperature in lactating cows under different climatic conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2016

Stefanie Ammer ,
Christian Lambertz  and
Matthias Gauly
Stefanie Ammer*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany
Christian Lambertz
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, Italy
Matthias Gauly
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, Italy
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The aim of the research described here was to compare different methods of body temperature (BT) measurements in dairy cows. It was hypothesised that reticular temperature (RET) values reflect the physiological status of the animals in an equivalent way to rectal (RT) and vaginal (VT) measurements. RT, VT and RET temperatures of twelve lactating Holstein–Friesian cows were measured over five consecutive days in June and October 2013. While RT and VT were manually measured three times a day, RET was automatically recorded at 10 min intervals using a bolus in the reticulum. For comparison with RT and VT, different RET values were used: single values at the respective recording times (RET-SIN), and mean (RET-MEAN) and median (RET-MED) values of 2 h prior to RT and VT measurements. Overall, body temperatures averaged 38·1 ± 0·6, 38·2 ± 0·4, 38·7 ± 0·9, 38·5 ± 0·7 and 38·7 ± 0·5 °C for RT, VT, RET-SIN, RET-MEAN and RET-MED, respectively. RT and VT were lower than all RET measurements, while RET-SIN and RET-MED were higher than RET-MEAN (P < 0·001). RET-MEAN and RET-MED values were higher in the morning, whereas RT and VT were greatest in the evening (P < 0·001). Overall, records of RT and VT were strongly correlated (r = 0·75; P < 0·001). In contrast to RET-SIN and RET-MEAN, RET-MED was higher correlated to RT and VT. In June, coefficients were higher between all methods than in October. Relation of barn T to RT and VT was stronger when compared to RET measurements. RET-SIN was higher correlated to barn T than RET-MEAN or RET-MED. Correlation between VT and barn T was strongest (r = 0·48; P < 0·001). In summary, RET-MED showed highest correlation with VT and RT. However, single RET measurements (influenced by water or feed intake) can lead to extreme variations and differences to single VT and RT values.

Keywords

Body temperature monitoringreticular temperaturerectal temperaturevaginal temperaturedairy cows
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 83 , Issue 2 , May 2016 , pp. 165 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2016 

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

Adams, AE, Olea-Popelka, FJ & Roman-Muniz, IN 2013 Using temperature-sensing reticular boluses to aid in the detection of production diseases in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 96 1549–1555Google Scholar
AlZahal, O, Kebreab, E, France, J, Froetschel, M & McBride, BW 2008 Ruminal temperature may aid in the detection of subacute ruminal acidosis. Journal of Dairy Science 91 202–207Google Scholar
AlZahal, O, AlZahal, H, Steele, MA, van Schaik, M, Kyriazakis, I, Duffield, TF & McBride, BW 2011 The use of a radiotelemetric ruminal bolus to detect body temperature changes in lactating dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 94 3568–3574Google Scholar
Bergen, RD & Kennedy, AD 2000 Relationship between vaginal and tympanic membrane temperature in beef heifers. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 80 515–518Google Scholar
Bewley, JM, Einstein, ME, Grott, MW & Schutz, MM 2008a Comparison of reticular and rectal core body temperatures in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91 4661–4672Google Scholar
Bewley, JM, Grott, MW, Einstein, ME & Schutz, MM 2008b Impact of intake water temperatures on reticular temperatures of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91 3880–3887Google Scholar
Bitman, J, Lefcourt, A, Wood, DL & Stroud, B 1984 Circadian and ultradian temperature rhythms of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 67 1014–1023Google Scholar
Burns, PD, Wailes, WR & Baker, PB 2002 Changes in reticular and rectal temperature during the periestrous period in cows. Journal of Dairy Science 80 128Google Scholar
Culmer, MD 2012 Detection of ovulation in dairy cows by twice-daily passive monitoring of reticulo-rumen temperature. MSc Thesis, Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova ScotiaGoogle Scholar
Dye, TK 2007 Rumen temperature boluses for monitoring health in feedlot cattle. PhD Thesis, Oklahoma State University, USA80Google Scholar
Firk, R, Stamer, E, Junge, W & Krieter, J 2002 Automation of oestrus detection in dairy cows: a review. Livestock Production Science 75 219–232Google Scholar
Fordham, DP, Rowlinson, P & McCarthy, TT 1988 Oestrus detection in dairy cows by milk temperature measurement. Research in Veterinary Science 44 366–374CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gebremedhin, KG, Lee, CN, Hillman, PE & Brown-Brandl, TM 2011 Body temperature and behavioral activities of four breeds of heifers in shade and full sun. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 27 999–1006Google Scholar
Hahn, GL, Eigenberg, RA, Nienaber, JA & Littledike, ET 1990 Measuring physiological responses of animals to environmental stressors using a microcomputer-based portable datalogger. Journal of Dairy Science 68 2658–2665Google Scholar
Hicks, LC, Hicks, WS, Bucklin, RA, Shearer, JK, Bray, DR, Soto, P & Carvalho, V 2001 Comparison of methods of measuring deep body temperatures of dairy cows. In Livestock Environment VI: Proc. 6th Int. Symp. ASAE, pp. 432–438, Louisville, Kentucky, USAGoogle Scholar
Hillman, PE, Lee, CN & Willard, ST 2005 Thermoregulatory responses associated with lying and standing in heat-stressed dairy cows. American Society of Agricultural Engineers 48 795–801Google Scholar
Igono, MO, Steevens, BJ, Shanklin, MD & Johnson, HD 1985 Spray cooling effects on milk production, milk, and rectal temperatures of cows during a moderate temperate summer season. Journal of Dairy Science 68 979–985CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, CN, Gebremedhin, KG, Parkhurst, A & Hillman, PE 2014 Placement of temperature probe in bovine vagina for continuous measurement of core-body temperature. International Journal of Biometeorology 59 1201–1205Google Scholar
Lefcourt, AM & Adams, WR 1996 Radiotelemetry measurement of body temperatures of feedlot steers during summer. Journal of Dairy Science 74 2633–2640Google Scholar
Liang, D, Wood, CL, McQuerry, KJ, Ray, DL, Clark, JD & Bewley, JM 2013 Influence of breed, milk production, season, and ambient temperature on dairy cow reticulorumen temperature. Journal of Dairy Science 96 5072–5081Google Scholar
McVicker, LE, Leonard, MJ & Spiers, DE 2001 Evaluation of feedlot cattle response to summer heat in open or shaded pens. In 15th Conf. on Biometeorology/Aerobiology and 16th International Congress of Biometeorology, pp. 104–107, Kansas City, Missouri, USAGoogle Scholar
NRC 1971 A Guide to Environmental Research on Animals. Washington, DC: National Academy of SciencesGoogle Scholar
Piccione, G & Refinetti, R 2003 Thermal chronobiology of domestic animals. Frontiers in Bioscience 8 258–264Google Scholar
Prendiville, DJ, Lowe, J, Earley, B, Spahr, C & Kettlewell, P 2002 Radiotelemetry Systems for Measuring body Temperature. Tunsany, Ireland: Grange Research CentreGoogle Scholar
Sievers, AK, Kristensen, NB, Laue, H & Wolffram, S 2004 Development of an intraruminal device for data sampling and transmission. Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences 13 207–210Google Scholar
Suthar, V, Burfeind, O, Bonk, S, Voigtsberger, R, Keane, C & Heuwieser, W 2012 Factors associated with body temperature of healthy Holstein dairy cows during the first 10 days in milk. Journal of Dairy Research 79 135–142CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yamada, A, Sutoh, M & Imura, T 2001 The changes of rumen temperature with grazing behavior in the daytime. Grassland Science 47 491–493Google Scholar