Milk temperature was measured automatically during milking with a view to detecting silent oestrus in dairy cows. A total of 38 silent oestrous periods were studied, based mainly on ovulation and milk progesterone levels together with visual observation.In 78·9% of silent oestrous periods, a significant increase in milk temperature amounting to a mean of 0·6 (s.e. 0·07)°C was found, and this was highly correlated (r = 0·90) with an increased body temperature. In most silent oestrous periods increases in milk and body temperatures and ovulation with milk progesterone levels below 2 μg/l were found, the oestrous cycles being characterized by typical progesterone profiles. In some cows increases in milk and body temperatures and ovulation during a silent oestrous period were associated with non-typical progesterone profiles although most of these occurred shortly after parturition.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.