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STUDIES OF SOME EFFECTS
OF HOT CLH1ATIC CONDITIONS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FRIESIAN AND SAH I WAL X FR I ESIAN HE I FERS.
A Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of r·laster of /\gricultuy·al Science in Anka1
Scie1ce.
at
t1a s�;ey University
Patrick Simeon Akengo Auko , 1980
Ma s s ey Universi ty
P a l mer s ton No rth , New Zea l a nd
ABSTRACT
Two Fnesian heifers and t1vo Sahi\val x Friesian (Fl ) heifer
calves were subjected to 33°C air temperature in a climate cha.Ji,IJPr for 12 weeks. Another two pairs of ea 1 ves were kept in a 'control' room maintained at 15.50( ambient temperature.
Al I heifers were fed hay during the first 6 weeks of the trial.
A concentrate diet was fed the following 6 weeks. In each period, records were taken during the last four weeks only.
The measurements taken tw ice d a i ly inc luded, the voluntary intake i i
of water (VWI) and feed (DMI); the rates of sweating (SWR) and respiration (RR); and the rectal temperature (TR)of each animal.
Liveweight gain and growth rate of the hair coat were calculated fr om measurements taken at the beginning and at the end of each period.
The experiment was repeated using the same calves, but exchanged
between temperatures. Concentrate feeding was carried out during the first hdlf of Trial 2. Hay was then fed for the following 6 v.1eo:? k s.
The data were analysed using the multivariate analysis of variance technique for repeated measurements. The results indicated that
high ambient temperatures increased significantly the rec tal temper
ature, respira tion rate and the voluntary intake o f water by a l l
calves. Inta k e of OM and DE were sig n i ficantly reduced(P < 0 . 05 ) by the exposure o f c a l ves to a hot env i ronmen t . The ra te o f
l i veweight g a i n wa s reduced from 0 . 67 k g/day a t 15 . 5°C t o 0 . 39kg /day at 330C . ( P < 0. 05)
The Sahiwal x F ri es i a n he i fe rs were le s s a ffec te d by hot c o nd i t i o n s t h a n were Fri e s i an s . They h a d s i g n i fi cantl y l ower T R (r< 0 . 05 ) a nd dra n k comp a ra t i ve l y l es s wa ter tha n d i d the Fr i es i a n he i fers o n expos u re to 3 3oc amb i e n t tempera ture . Thei r RR wa s lower than tha t of the F r i e s i a n s , however the i n te ract i on between the e ffe c t s of amb i e n t tempera ture a n d breed on RR, wa s not s i g n i fi ca n t .
The greater heat tolerance of the Sahiwal x Friesian heifers as compared with that of their Friesian counterpa rts was associated with their faster rates of sweating. Greater rates of sweat i n g
were suggested to facilitate faster evaporative loss of heat from t he body.
Of a l l the variables, DEI showed the greatest response to diet treatment factor. The heifers consumed more digestible energy,
under concentrate feeding than when hay was fed. As a result, faster rates of LWG were achieved during concentrate feeding than during hay feeding. Further analysis demonstrated that the declines in DEI were responsible for the slow rates of LWG, achived o n expo s u re
of animals to high ambient temperatures.
The analysis of the grow t h rate of the hair coat indicated that exposures to cool conditi ons resulted in fdster rates of
i i i
growth of hdir, than observed under hot conditions. The effect was probably associated with intake of dry matter. lt was found, however, difficult t.o justify this suggesti o n because of the confounded
effects of photoperiodicity.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author wishes to express h i s sincere thanks to Or C.W.Holmes for guidance and counsel, and for giving helpful criticisms
during planning and presentation of this book. The assistance of Mrs. Y.F.Moore, in the collection and processing of data
i s greatly appreciated.
Gratitude is also extended to Professor R.D.Anderson, and Mr. A. Gillmour of the Sheep Husbandry Department, for their assistance in the analysis of data. Mrs. Carolyn Castle, Dair·y Husbandry Department, handled all the secretarial matters �1/ith skill and enthusiasr1. Her work is greatly appl�eci ated.
·jy
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . .. . . . IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS.. . . ... . . . .. . . V L IST OF TABLES... . ... . . .. . . X
L IST OF FIGURES. . . .. . . .. . .. . . XI I
CHAPTER:
1 L I TERATURE REV I EW 1
1 . 1 . Introducti on
1
1.1 . 1 Effects of h i gh amb ient temperatures on the
productivi ty o f farm animals . 1
1.1.2 Improveme n t of prod uctiv i ty o f animals i n
h o t environments . 3
1.1.3 Objecti ves. 4
1 . 2 . Dry t�a t ter I nta ke_ 6
1 .2.1 Effects of hot con d i t i o ns on i n ta ke o f
dry ma tte r . 6
1 . Introducti on 6
2. Experi mental evidence wi th Catt l e 6 7 8 9
3. Experi menta l ev i den ce wi t h Pigs
4. Expe rimental evidence wi th Rats
5 . D i scussion o f effects
1. 2.2. Factors whi c h may inf l uence the respo n s e i n
intake of feed by ca t t l e exposed t o hot
conditi ons . 11
1 . 2 . 2 . 1 . 1 . 2 . 3.
4 .
An i ma l Factors Breed
Age a n d Wei g h t o f t h e animal
Effects of Body c o n d i tion State of Production
( a ) Pregnancy ( b ) L a c ta t i on
1 1 1 1 13 1 5 17 17 18
1 . 2.2. 2 . Feed Fac tors 1 8
1 . The physic a l form o f feed 1 8
2 . The n u tritive va l ue of feed
20
( a ) Digestibil ity
20
( b ) Energy concentra tion 2 1
( c ) Nutr i e n t defic i e n cies 2 3
3 . Suppl e me n ta tion 2 4
4 . I n teraction between the e ffects of type
of a11' · a n d dif�t 2 5
V
TABLE OF C ONTE NTS c o n t . . .
1.2.3 . Effe c t s o f h i g h amb i e n t temperatures o n the metabolism o f a n i ma l s.
PAGE
2 7
1. Co ntribu tion o f Ga stro i nte sti nal trac t 27
1. 2 . 4 . 1.3 .
1 . 3 . 1 . 1 . 3 . 2 .
2 . Cel lu l ar me taboli sm Conc l usi o n
The Effe c ts of Hot Environme nts o n Intake
an-er-Met a bo 1 ; srno-f--wa te r
·-·----
Intro duc t i on
Effects of hot cond i t i on s on i n take of wa ter
1 . Evide nce with Catt l e
2.
Othe r Spe c i e s3. Discussion o f t h e Ef fec t s
1 . 3 . 3. Other fa c tors wh i c h may i n f l uence i n ta k e of
28 3 0
31
3 1 32 3 2 33 3 3
wa ter by anima l s exposed to hot c ondi tions 35
1 .3 . 3 . 1 . Ani ma l s Fac tors 35
1. Spe c i es differenc es
2 . Di fferences between bre eds 3. Body size
4. Lactation 5. Gl"OWth 6. Pregnancy
7 . Activity
1 . 3.3. 2. Feed Factors
1. Dry Ma tter Intake of feed
2 . C rude p rote i n Conten t of feed
3. Mi ner a l Content of fe ed a nd wa ter
4. The Wa ter Content of fee d 1 . 3 . 4 . Conc l u s i on
1 . 4 . Effect of Expo s u re To Ho t Envi ronments On Growth of An imals.
35 36 37 37 38 39 39 39
39 40 40 4 1 4 2
4 3
1 . 4 .1 I n troduc ti o n 4 3
1. 4 . 2 . Effects o f h i g h amb i e n t t emperature on g rowth
of an i mal s 44
1 . Evi dence wi th c attle
2. Ev i de nce w i th other spec i es 3 . Di scu s s i on of the e ffects
44 44 47
v i
TABLE OF CONTE NTS c o n t . . . CHAPTER
1.4 . 3. Other factors which may i n fl uence growth o f cattl e exposed to hot c ondi ti ons
1 . Breed
2 . Age and Weight .
3 . Sex
1.4 . 4 . Co nclu s i on
1 . 5 . Thermoregulatory Responses to heat p�
B .taurus and B.indi cus cattl e . 1 . 5. 1 Introd u c t i on
1.5.2. Changes i n the Cardiovascular activity in response to thermal stress
1.5 . 3 . Sweating
1.5 . 4. Respiratory Ventilation
1.5.5 Changes in the Endocrine functions
1.5.6 . Changes in the Use of Body Water
1 . 5 . 7 . Anatomical Adaptatlons i n response to prolonged exposure to heat
1.5. 7. 1 . Surface area
2. Differences in fat deposition
PAGE
53 5 3 5 5 56 5 7
58 58
58 59
66 67
68 68 69 3 . Differe nces in hair coat characteristics 6 9
1 . 5 . 8. Con clu sion 7 0
2 . EXPERIMENTAL REPORT
2 .1. E�oerimental Des i .£1!1_
2 . 2 . Materials 1. Animals
2. Hou s i n g 3. Feeds 4 . Wa ter 2 . 3 . Me thod
2 . 3 . 1. We i ghi n g o f a n i ma l s 2 . 3 . 2. Feedi ng P ro cedu re
72
n
7 3 73 73 74 76
76 76 77 2.3. 3. Determi n a t i on o f the d i g es t i b i l i ty o f dry ma tter 77 2.3.4. Chemi cal a n a l ys i s o f feed and faeces
2.3. 5. E s t i ma t i on o f water con s umpt i on
2.3. 6. The amb i en t tempera t u re a nd Rel a t i ve H umi d i ty mea s u rements 2.3.7. O ther pa rame ters stud i ed on the a n i ma l s
78 78
78 78
vii
CHAPTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS c ont . . .
1. Rectal temperature 2. Respiration rates
3. The rate of growth of hair and the net change in weight of the hair coat 4. Sweating rate measurements
2.3.8. Statistical analyses
3. RESULTS
3.1. Treatment Factors
3.1.1. Environmental Conditions 3.1.2. Animals
3.2, Besponses to Heat Stress
3 . 2.1. Heat Stress indices
1 .L .
2.
3.
Rectal temperature Respiratory Rate Sv.Jeat rate
PAGE
78 79
79 80 82.
89 89 89 89 89 89 89 90 94
3.2.2. Relations between the heat stress indices 94
3.2.3. Dry matter intake 96
3.2.4. Digestible energy intake 96
3.2.5. Voluntary intake of water 99
3.2.6. Liveweight gain 99
3.2.7. Relations bet�veen Dry matter intake,digestible energy intake, water intake, rectal temperature
and growth rate. 102
3.2.8. The hair coat 105
4. DISCUSSION
4 .1. Recta 1 Tem�erature 1. Effects o f ambient
2 . Effects of breed 3 . Tempe rature x Breed 4. Res ponses to d i e t 4 . 2. Res�i rati on Rate
1. Effects o f a mb i e nt
2 . Effects of breed
3. Res ponses to d i e t
tempera ture i nteracti ons
tempe ra ture
107
107 107 108
108 109 110
110 111 112
vi i ·
CHAPTER 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS cont ....
4.3. ---"'-·· Sweating
1. The effects of breed and temperature 2. Responses to diet'
3. The re-lationship betvJeen sweating and respiration 4.4. Q.!:y_matter and Ene!JD' intake
4.5.
1. Effects of Arnbi ent tempera tu re
2. Effects of breed 3. Responses to diet
Voluntar_,y intake of \�ater
1. Effects of Ambient temperature 2. Effects of breed
3. Responses to diet
4.6. Liv�w�J_g_bt gain
1. Effects of ambient temperature
2 . Effects of breed
3 . Responses to diet
4.7. The Hair Coat
1. Differences between the two breeds in
weights of hair coat
2 . Growth of hair coat after clipping
5 CONCLUSION
1. The effects of ambient temperature
2 . Effects of breed
3. Effects of diet REFERENCES
APPENDICES
PAGE
113 113 114
116
118 118 120 120
1"' L:l
121 123 124
124 1�4 126 127
128
128 129
131 131 133 133 135 148
ix
TABLE
1.2. 1.
1.2. 2.
1. 2. 3.
1.2. 4.
1. 2. 5.
1. 3. L
1. 4 . 1.
1.4. 2.
1. 5 . 1.
1. 5. 2.
1. 5. 3.
1. 5. 4.
1.5. 5 . 1. 5 .6.
2 . 1 2 . 2 2 . 3 .
L I ST OF TABLES
PAGE
Dry matter intake by cattle under hot conditions 7 Average difference from expected values of intake
at l80C for 10 lactating co�;�1s and 2 dry cows
during heat exposure 10
Responses of Friesian and Brahman x Friesian
heifers to heat
ll
Mean daily intake of straw, hay, hay and
concentrates by six cows when fat and when thin 16 Dry matter intake by sheep fed on different forms
of forage 19
Voluntary intake of water by heifers exposed
to 20,30, and 380C temperature conditions 32
Liveweight gain of calves exposed to cool
and hot conditions 45
Growth rate of steers of various breeds in an
experimental farm at Ornatjenne (S.i�. Africa) 53
Effects of a hot environment on body temperature,
respiration rate and sytemic circulation of steers 59 Sweat gland density and volumes reported in
literature 60
The effect of exposure to severe heat (400C) on
the respiratory ventilation and blood pH of oxen 64 Respiratory rates of Zebu and Holstein cattle
exposed to various ambient temperatures 65 Plasma P.B.I. of cattle during summer and
winter months 67
Seasonal variation of hair characteristics of
30 He reford s teers 70
P l a n of expe r i me n t 73
Compo s i t i on a n d chemi ca l a na l ys i s of feed s u sed 75
L i vewe i ght and a g e of he i fe rs used 76
X
TABL E
3 . 1 3 . 2 .
3.3 . 3 . 4 . 3 . 5 . 3.6 .
3 . 7.
3 . 8 3.9.
3 . 10 3. 1 1 3 . 12
3. 13 3 . 14a
3. 14 b
3.14c
4 . 1 .
4 . 2 . 4 . 3 .
L I ST O F TAB LES cont . ..
Ambi e n t tempera tu re conditions in the coo l
room a nd in the hot room
Mea n rectal tempe ra ture of Sa hiwa l x F r i e sia n a n d Frie s i a n heifers fed hay or concentra te d i e t s a t 150C o r at 330C ambient tempe r a t u re c on d-iti ons
Re s p i ra ti on ra tes Swe a t rate
Rel a t i on ship be tween rect a l temperature a nd re s p i ra t i o n ra t e
Rel a t i ons hip be tween sweat rate and recta l tempe ra tu re
Dry matter i n take
Di g e s tibl e energy i n take
Da i l y i nta ke of water (kg/day) Daily intake of water (kg/BW0.82) Daily liveweight g ain
Coefficients of correlation betwee n TR, Dt�I, DE I , VIH and LWG
The relationsh i p between D EI and LWG We i g h t of hair coat of i ndi v i du a l cal ves at the be gin n i n g of the experi ment
Mea n rates of growth of hair coat of
Sah i wal x Friesian and F ri e s i a n heifers fed hay o r co ncentr a te s a t 1 5o c o r a t 330C
The hai r growth and treatme n t effect s
Rec t a l tempe ra ture of ca tt l e e xposed to c o o l or hot conditi ons
Adj u s ted mean rectal tempe ra ture s
The vol untary intake of water ( kg/ kgOM) of cattle exposed to hot or c ool conditio n s
PAGE
81
91 9 2 93 95
95 97 98 100
102 102
103 104 105
106 1 06
107 1 1 0 1 22
xi
F IGURE
1 . 1 . 1 . 2 .
1.3.
1 . 4 . 1 . 5 . 1 . 6 .
1.8.
2 .1.
2 . 2 .
4 . J..
4 . 2 .
4 . 3 .
L IST OF F I GURES
Food intake as a fun et i on o f en vi ronr1enta l
temperature
Dry ma t ter intake and digestible energy intake response o f sheep when fed rat i o n s with
different DE concentrations
Water intake expressed as a function of
dry matter and temperature
The effects o f a i r temperatu re o n weight
ga i n o f p i gs
G rowth c u rves o f Herefo rd a n d Brangus heifers
in New Mexi co range
Recta l tempera ture o f l a cta t i n g Europea n ( Bo s ta u ru s ) a n d I nd i an (Bos indicus
)
c a tt l e as a func t i o n o f env i ronmen ta l tempera t u re
Cutaneous eva pora t i o n from the belly area of
Zebu cross, and Sho rthorn cat t l e
Comp a r i son o f s u bcutaneo u s a n d intermuscular
fa t deposition of Bos indicus a n d Bos taurus
Areas clipped for t he determination of changes in the wei gh t of hair coa t
The sweating capsule
Cutaneous mo i s t u re from Ayrs h i re c a l ves mea s u red at var i ous amb i en t temperatures The rel a t i on s h i p between swea t ra te a n d
rectal tempera t ures o f ca t t l e fed con cen tra tes o r hay a t 33oc
The effects of env i ro nmenta l tempera ture on moi s t u re l o s ses by res p i ra t o ry a n d c u ta neo u s evapora t i o n
PAGE
8
2 2 36 46 56
61 61 63
79 81
11 5
1 1 5
1 1 7
x i i
