Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress
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 gra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Animal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000284 |
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| author | A. Pontiggia A. Münger L. Eggerschwiler M. Holinger D. Stucki S. Ammer R.M. Bruckmaier F. Dohme-Meier N.M. Keil |
| author_facet | A. Pontiggia A. Münger L. Eggerschwiler M. Holinger D. Stucki S. Ammer R.M. Bruckmaier F. Dohme-Meier N.M. Keil |
| author_sort | A. Pontiggia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:53:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7baa131d49604671ad779e0dececd146 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:21:28Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj.art-7baa131d49604671ad779e0dececd1462024-03-20T06:08:59ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112024-03-01183101097Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stressA. Pontiggia0A. Münger1L. Eggerschwiler2M. Holinger3D. Stucki4S. Ammer5R.M. Bruckmaier6F. Dohme-Meier7N.M. Keil8Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Agroscope, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland; Ruminant Nutrition and Emissions, Agroscope, Route de la Tioleyre 4, 1725 Posieux, Switzerland; Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Corresponding author.Ruminant Nutrition and Emissions, Agroscope, Route de la Tioleyre 4, 1725 Posieux, SwitzerlandRuminant Nutrition and Emissions, Agroscope, Route de la Tioleyre 4, 1725 Posieux, SwitzerlandLivestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, SwitzerlandClinical Veterinary Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3012 Bern, SwitzerlandLivestock Sciences, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075 Göttingen, GermanyVeterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3012 Bern, SwitzerlandRuminant Nutrition and Emissions, Agroscope, Route de la Tioleyre 4, 1725 Posieux, SwitzerlandCentre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Agroscope, Tänikon 1, 8356 Ettenhausen, SwitzerlandExposure 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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000284Inter-individual distanceProximity to waterRespiration rateReticular temperatureVaginal temperature |
| spellingShingle | A. Pontiggia A. Münger L. Eggerschwiler M. Holinger D. Stucki S. Ammer R.M. Bruckmaier F. Dohme-Meier N.M. Keil Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress Animal Inter-individual distance Proximity to water Respiration rate Reticular temperature Vaginal temperature |
| title | Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress |
| title_full | Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress |
| title_fullStr | Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress |
| title_short | Behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress |
| title_sort | behavioural responses related to increasing core body temperature of grazing dairy cows experiencing moderate heat stress |
| topic | Inter-individual distance Proximity to water Respiration rate Reticular temperature Vaginal temperature |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731124000284 |
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