Assessment of surface temperatures of buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) raised under tropical conditions using infrared thermography

Abstract

Assessment of surface temperatures of buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) raised under tropical conditions using infrared thermography ABSTRACTThis paper aimed to evaluate the surface temperatures of buffalo bulls using infrared thermography, considering four distinct anatomical parts over time, and to correlate surface temperatures and thermal comfort indexes. The humid tropical climate (Köppen's Afi) was predominant in the research station where the experiment was performed and the trial lasted from April to August. Ten bulls (n=10) were evaluated every 25 days (morning: 6:00-9:00; afternoon: 12:00-15:00) and the parameters assessed were respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), and the thermograms of surface temperature for orbital area (ORB), right flank (RF), left flank (LF) and scrotum (SCR). Climatological data was continuously monitored and the Temperature and Humidity Index (THI) and the Index of Comfort of Benezra (ICB) were calculated. The average values of THI were ≥78, and significant differences between shifts were observed (P<0.05). The ICB ranged from 1.96 to 2.25 and significant differences were observed for shifts and throughout the months (P<0.05). The averages of surface temperatures were RT=38.2±0.5°C, ORB=36.1±0.8°C, LF=33.5±2.5°C, RF=35.4±1.7ºC and SCR=33.3±1.1°C, which exhibited significant differences for shifts and throughout the months (P<0.05). Positive correlations were obtained between THI and ORB (0.72), RF (0.77), LF (0.75) and SCR (0.41) (P<0.0001). The maximum temperature of ORB showed the highest correlation with RT (0.58, P<0.0001). Therefore, the surface temperatures are subject to climatic variations and increase throughout the day, due to the variation in thermal comfort indexes, and the maximum ORB temperature was the parameter most related to rectal temperature. Lastly, the results indicate that IRT may be a useful non-invasive and accurate tool to detect the variations in ORB, LF, RF and SCR temperature in buffalo bulls.Keywords: animal welfare, water buffalo, infrared imaging, core temperature, body surface temperature TR=38,2±0,5ºC, ORB=36,1±0,8ºC, FLd=33,5±2,5ºC, RESUMO O presente trabalho visou avaliar as temperaturas superficiais de diferentes regiões anatômicas de búfalos ao longo do tempo, por meio da termografia infravermelha, e correlacioná-las a índices bioclimatológicos de conforto térmico. O ensaio foi realizado em região de clima tropical úmido (Afi de Köppen), de abril a agosto. Dez touros (n=10) foram avaliados a cada 25 dias (manhã: seis-nove horas; tarde: 12-15h), quanto à frequência respiratória (FR), temperatura retal (TR) e imagens termográficas da órbita ocular (ORB), flanco direito (FLd), flanco esquerdo (FLe) e escroto (ESC). Os dados climatológicos foram ininterruptamente monitorados, e calculados o índice de temperatura e umidade (ITU) e o índice de conforto de Benezra (ICB). O ITU foi ≥78, com diferença entre turnos (P<0,05). Já o ICB variou de 1,96 a 2,25 e apresentou diferenças ao longo dos meses e entre turnos (P<0,05). As temperaturas...

Effect of estrous cycle phase on vulvar, orbital area and muzzle surface temperatures as determined using digital infrared thermography in buffalo

“…The vulva, muffle and orbital area surface temperatures (measured by IDT) and the rectal temperatures obtained in the present study are similar to previous studies in dairy cows (Talukder et al, 2014;Chacur et al, 2016b) and dairy buffalo (Barros et al, 2016;Sevegnani et al, 2016). Thus, the IDT technique is of potential applicability in the study of the physiological modifications of body temperature in buffalo.…”

“…The applicability of IDT in buffalo has recently been demonstrated. It was verified that the skin temperatures of the orbital area, flank and ears are subject to weather variations and correlated with rectal temperature and can be used in studies of thermal comfort in these animals (Barros et al, 2016;Sevegnani et al, 2016).…”

Infrared thermography as a noninvasive method to assess scrotal insulation on sperm production in beef bulls

“…Several authors reported that insulation and the appearance of sperm pathologies after insult depend on the duration of tissue damage that will contribute to the great diversity of results displayed when testis are subjected to heat stress (Brito, Silva, Barbosa, & Kastelic, ; Kastelic et al., 1996b). Indeed, the use of IRT is an important noninvasive technique to evaluate thermoregulation in many species and has been previously described using this methodological approach in bulls (Barros et al., ; Neto et al., ; Rodrigues‐Alves et al., ; Ruediger et al., ; Vencato et al., ).…”

Infrared thermography: A potential noninvasive tool to monitor udder health status in dairy cows

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