Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment
Cattle in high-elevation rangelands experience cold and hot extremes. Given the increase in black hided cattle globally, thermoregulation options on rangelands, and hide color function affecting mammal thermal ecology, this study quantified winter albedo, external cattle temperatures (Temp<sub>...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1186 |
| _version_ | 1797536917492858880 |
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| author | John Derek Scasta |
| author_facet | John Derek Scasta |
| author_sort | John Derek Scasta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cattle in high-elevation rangelands experience cold and hot extremes. Given the increase in black hided cattle globally, thermoregulation options on rangelands, and hide color function affecting mammal thermal ecology, this study quantified winter albedo, external cattle temperatures (Temp<sub>cow</sub>), and differences (ΔT) between Temp<sub>cow</sub> and ambient air temperature (Temp<sub>amb</sub>), for different color cattle along a thermal gradient (≈−33 °C to +33 °C). From 2016 to 2018, I measured 638 individual Temp<sub>cow</sub> × Temp<sub>amb</sub> combinations for white (<i>n</i> = 183), red (<i>n</i> = 158), and black (<i>n</i> = 297) <i>Bos taurus</i> female cattle free roaming extensive Wyoming, USA rangelands. Pixel brightness of cow images relative to snow indicated mean (±standard error) albedo for white, red, and black cows (<i>n</i> = 3 of each) was 0.69 (±0.15), 0.16 (±0.04), and 0.04 (±0.01), respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.0027). Temp<sub>cow</sub> was explained by Temp<sub>amb</sub> (+), clear sky insolation index (+), and cow albedo (−). However, ΔT was explained by Temp<sub>amb</sub> (−), long-wave radiation (infrared; Rad<sub>LW</sub> (−)), Temp<sub>cow</sub> (+), and cow albedo (+). Temp<sub>amb</sub> relative to ΔT was correlated for all hide colors (all <i>p</i>-values < 0.0001; all <i>r</i><sup>2</sup> values > 0.7)), yet slopes (<i>m</i>) were ~2× greater for red and black cows than white cows. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:07:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ddf38e207b642bcb000294bb0f39877 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:07:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ddf38e207b642bcb000294bb0f398772023-11-21T16:26:51ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-04-01115118610.3390/ani11051186Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland EnvironmentJohn Derek Scasta0Department of Ecosystem Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USACattle in high-elevation rangelands experience cold and hot extremes. Given the increase in black hided cattle globally, thermoregulation options on rangelands, and hide color function affecting mammal thermal ecology, this study quantified winter albedo, external cattle temperatures (Temp<sub>cow</sub>), and differences (ΔT) between Temp<sub>cow</sub> and ambient air temperature (Temp<sub>amb</sub>), for different color cattle along a thermal gradient (≈−33 °C to +33 °C). From 2016 to 2018, I measured 638 individual Temp<sub>cow</sub> × Temp<sub>amb</sub> combinations for white (<i>n</i> = 183), red (<i>n</i> = 158), and black (<i>n</i> = 297) <i>Bos taurus</i> female cattle free roaming extensive Wyoming, USA rangelands. Pixel brightness of cow images relative to snow indicated mean (±standard error) albedo for white, red, and black cows (<i>n</i> = 3 of each) was 0.69 (±0.15), 0.16 (±0.04), and 0.04 (±0.01), respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.0027). Temp<sub>cow</sub> was explained by Temp<sub>amb</sub> (+), clear sky insolation index (+), and cow albedo (−). However, ΔT was explained by Temp<sub>amb</sub> (−), long-wave radiation (infrared; Rad<sub>LW</sub> (−)), Temp<sub>cow</sub> (+), and cow albedo (+). Temp<sub>amb</sub> relative to ΔT was correlated for all hide colors (all <i>p</i>-values < 0.0001; all <i>r</i><sup>2</sup> values > 0.7)), yet slopes (<i>m</i>) were ~2× greater for red and black cows than white cows.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1186cold stressconvectionΔTheat stresshomoeothermicsolar radiation |
| spellingShingle | John Derek Scasta Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment Animals cold stress convection ΔT heat stress homoeothermic solar radiation |
| title | Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment |
| title_full | Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment |
| title_fullStr | Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment |
| title_short | Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows (<i>Bos taurus)</i> in a Cold Rangeland Environment |
| title_sort | albedo and thermal ecology of white red and black cows i bos taurus i in a cold rangeland environment |
| topic | cold stress convection ΔT heat stress homoeothermic solar radiation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/5/1186 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnderekscasta albedoandthermalecologyofwhiteredandblackcowsibostaurusiinacoldrangelandenvironment |