Wind chill index and neonatal lamb mortality at an organized farm in semi-arid Rajasthan

Physiological and performance parameters of 33 pregnant Changthangi sheep divided into three groups (G1, G2 and G3) of 11each on the basis of body weight, age and parity was undertaken during winter months. Ewes of G1 and G2 were kept inside the closed shed all the time whereas the ewes of G3 were kept in an open area which was chain-link fenced from four sides and was provided with a roof shelter to protect from direct rain or snow. G1 and G3 were fed 400g concentrate and 600g fodder per head per day as per ICAR feeding standard. Ewes of G2 were given concentrate @ 500g and fodder @ 1000g per head per day. Environmental parameters (temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity) were recorded on a daily basis in animal houses and wind chill index was calculated using these parameters. Physiological parameters (rectal temperature, pulse rate and respiration rate) were recorded weekly in the morning. Fortnightly weight of ewes and monthly weight of lambs was recorded upto weaning. Extreme Wind Chill Index was observed throughout the study period in open house. Pulse rate of supplemented ewes with closed housing was significantly (p<0.05) higher than G1 and G3 ewes while respiration rate and rectal temperature were significantly (p<0.05) higher in group reared in open house. Significantly (p<0.05) higher body weight of ewes, birth weight and weaning weight of lambs was obtained in the supplemented group G2 than G1 and G3 ewes. Economic appraisal revealed a net gain of Rs. 3672.15 in the group reared in a closed shed and supplemented with extra feed and a loss of Rs. 593 in the group reared in open housing system than ewes reared in a closed shed without supplementation.

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“…Wind chill index (°C) was calculated as per the formula devised by Swarnkar et al (2018) WCI (kcal/ m 2 /h) = (10√v − v + 10.5) × (33 − Ta)…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological and Performance Parameters of Changthangi Sheep in Response to Cold and Nutritional Stress

Malik

Khan

Shah

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…Baiyin Marathon runners are not equipped for the cold, wearing simple clothes or directly exposed 24 – 26 . The heat dissipation is, where Wci is the air-cooling index (kcal/m 2 /h), F is the wind speed (m/s), T is the air temperature (℃).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy supply and influencing factors of mountain marathon runners from Baiyin marathon accident in China

Sun

2022

Sci Rep

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High temperature impacts the performance of marathon athletes, and hypothermia harms athletes. Twenty-one runners died, and eight were injured in the China Baiyin marathon on May 22, 2021. It’s a typical human life test. The energy equations are combined with the maximum energy supply of Chinese male athletes to study this accident. We analyze the human body’s route slope, travel speed, and heat dissipation under low temperatures in this marathon. The study shows that the large slope and long-distance of CP2 to CP3 section and the low temperature during the competition are the main reasons for the accident. The method of quantifying the slope and temperature and calculating the percentage of athletes’ physical consumption proposed in this paper can evaluate the route design of field marathons. We suggest that the physical energy consumption ratio of 90%, i.e. 315 cal/min/kg, should be taken as the maximum energy supply for Chinese male marathon runners. Dangerous risk zones for wind speed and temperature on dangerous path sections are also formulated for athletes to make their assessments. This paper’s theories and methods can effectively help design the marathon route and determine the race time.

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“…To ensure that lactating ewes utilize the peak production of fodder during the winter rainfall period, pregnancy in sheep commonly occurs from late autumn to midwinter (the months from August to September) and lambing takes place from January to February. Therefore, lambs might be born in challenging circumstances and exposed to cold stress by compromising lamb survival [ 18 , 19 ]. As compared to adults, the peculiarities of thermoregulatory control such as an immature central nervous system and a ratio of body surface to body weight have been observed in individuals in the early postnatal period including weaner lamb, which can lead to young animals being more affected by cold stress [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Cold Environments on Growth, Antioxidant Status, Immunity and Expression of Related Genes in Lambs

Shi

Xiao

et al. 2022

Animals

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Cold climates may be a risk to the health and welfare of lambs during winter because cold environments alter the physiological processes of lambs, and we used cold environments with three different temperature gradients—an indoor heating control group (IHC) using electric heating; an indoor temperature group (IT) with intermittent and slight degrees of stimulation of coldness; an outdoor temperature group (OT) exposed to cold environments in an external natural environment. The results showed that the lambs in the OT group had a greater decrease in the average daily gain (ADG) and increase in the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and the feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) compared to the other two groups. The decrease in immunoglobulin A (IgA) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) contents and IL-2 gene expression, and the increase in tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) content and TNF-α and nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65) gene expressions in the OT group suggested that the lambs had a compromised immune status in cold environments. Moreover, the decrease in catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels, and CAT, GPx, SOD1, SOD2, and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) gene expressions, and the increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) in the OT group suggested that the lambs had a lower antioxidant defense capacity in cold environments. Thus, in extreme cold, lambs kept outdoors could reduce growth, immune function and antioxidant status. However, shelter feeding in winter could relieve the stress of cold environments on lambs, and housing with heating equipment was more conducive to the improve growth, immune, and antioxidant function of the lambs.

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Wind chill index and neonatal lamb mortality at an organized farm in semi-arid Rajasthan

Cited by 6 publications

References 24 publications

Physiological and Performance Parameters of Changthangi Sheep in Response to Cold and Nutritional Stress

Physiological and Performance Parameters of Changthangi Sheep in Response to Cold and Nutritional Stress

Energy supply and influencing factors of mountain marathon runners from Baiyin marathon accident in China

Influence of Cold Environments on Growth, Antioxidant Status, Immunity and Expression of Related Genes in Lambs

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