home    about    browse    search    latest    help 
Login | Create Account

Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress

Pontiggia, A.; Münger, A.; Eggerschwiler, L.; Holinger, M.; Stucki, D.; Ammer, S.; Bruckmaier, R.M.; Dohme-Meier, F. and Keil, N.M. (2024) Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress. Animal, 18 (101097), pp. 1-10.

[thumbnail of pontiggia-etal-2024-Animal-Vol18-No101097-p1-10.pdf] PDF - Published Version - English
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

1MB

Document available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000284


Summary in the original language of the document

Exposure to direct solar radiation, high ambient temperature, lack of wind movement, coupled with own metabolic heat production, makes grazing dairy cows vulnerable to heat stress. In pastures, it would be beneficial to monitor heat stress by observable changes in behaviour. We hypothesised that grazing dairy cows exhibit behavioural changes due to increasing heat load in temperate climate. Over two consecutive summers, 38 full-time grazing Holstein dairy cows were investigated in 12 experimental periods of up to 3 consecutive days where the cows were repeatedly exposed to various levels of moderate heat load determined by the comprehensive climate index (CCI). The CCI defines the ambient climate conditions, combining air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and wind speed. Vaginal temperature (VT) was automatically measured as an indicator of heat stress. In addition, as a less invasive method, we investigated if reticular temperature (RET) can be indicative of heat stress on pastures. Walking activity, lying-, feeding, and ruminating durations were recorded continuously with sensors. Respiration rate (RR), proximity to and competition at the water trough, social licking, self-licking, inter-individual distance, and fly intensity were directly observed. Data were analysed in the morning (0900–1100 h) and during the hottest time of day when cows were on pasture (1230–1430 h). The VT and RET showed similar patterns in relation to the CCI, suggesting that RET can be suitable for continuous monitoring of heat stress on pastures. In the morning, the cow’s VT and RET did not relevantly react to the CCI. During the period 1230–1430 h, the cow’s mean VT (mean vaginal temperature (VTMEAN); range: 37.7–40.3 °C) and mean RET (mean reticular temperature; range: 37.0–41.1 °C) were positively related to the mean CCI (mean comprehensive climate index) in this period (mean ± SD: 25.9 ± 5.71 °C). For cows with greater VTMEAN, an increased mean RR and decreased durations of walking, lying, feeding, and ruminating were found. These cows were also more likely to be in proximity to the water trough and to have small inter-individual distances. Changes in these traits seem to reflect behavioural adaptations to heat stress in a temperate climate and could be used to detect the heat stress in individual dairy cows on pastures.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:Inter-individual distance, Proximity to water, Respiration rate, Reticular temperature, Vaginal temperature, Abacus, FiBL50097, Hitzestress
Agrovoc keywords:
Language
Value
URI
English
dairy cows
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_26767
English
heat stress
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_11488
Subjects: Animal husbandry > Production systems > Dairy cattle
Animal husbandry > Health and welfare
Research affiliation: Switzerland > Agroscope
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Animal welfare & housing > Animal welfare
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Cattle
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Animal welfare & housing > Grassland-based livestock systems
Switzerland > University of Bern
Germany > University of Göttingen
DOI:10.1016/j.animal.2024.101097
Deposited By: Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, FiBL
ID Code:53052
Deposited On:28 Mar 2024 08:51
Last Modified:28 Mar 2024 08:51
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics