Application of the climate analogue concept in assessing the probable physiological and haematological responses of Friesian cattle to changing and variable climate in the Kenyan Highlands

Abstract

Friesian cattle are considered the most sensitive to climate change-induced thermal stress and remain the major dairy breed in Kenya. This study applied the climate analogue concept to predict probable physiological and haematological responses of Friesian cattle in the 2050s to understand their adaptability to a changing and variable climate. Njoro in the Kenya Rift Valley Highlands was used as the reference site and its 2050s climate analogue site was identified in Shawa, based on criteria of a similarity index of 0.8-0.9. Results suggest that Njoro in the 2050s will likely experience increasing temperatures, but changes in rainfall are uncertain. The increasing temperatures will probably be accompanied by mild thermal stress for Friesian cattle during the dry seasons or drought. The thermal humidity index differed between times of day, but not between the analogue sites. Except for rectal temperatures, the physiological and haematological responses differed between the analogue sites, but were within the normal ranges. It is concluded that Friesian cattle in Njoro in the 2050s will probably experience mild thermal stress in the afternoons during the dry seasons, expressed by slight increases in physiological and haematological responses, but will probably remain within the normal margins.

Brown Swiss cows are more heat resistant than Holstein cows under hot summer conditions of the continental climate of Ukraine

“…Specialized dairy cows are more sensitive to hyperthermia as they generate more metabolic heat (Wangui et al 2018). For example, in Brazilian tropical conditions, mean rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), and heart rate (HR) were higher in HB cows than in local Girolando (Gir) cows and their crossbreeds with HB (Daltro et al 2017).…”

“…Determination of the heat resistance of individual breeds should be the initial stage for selecting animals and further clarification of the nature of their adaptive capabilities and the ability to maintain high productivity under extreme weather. According to scientists' forecasts, only under such conditions can one count on success, relying on long-term breeding strategies and the creation of animals that are resistant to global climate change, the consequences of which will increasingly be felt for dairy farming in the future, according to scientists' forecasts (Wangui et al 2018). Thus, the work aimed to investigate the heat resistance of the organism and the productivity of Holstein (HB) and Brown Swiss (BS) cows during the summer heat.…”

Identifying Positive Deviant Farms Using Pareto-Optimality Ranking Technique to Assess Productivity and Livelihood Benefits in Smallholder Dairy Farming under Contrasting Stressful Environments in Tanzania

“…These practices are more important for farmers keeping Holstein-Friesian cattle in the high-stress environment, because the breed is sensitive to thermal stress. If there is exposure to mild thermal stress peaks in the afternoons during the dry seasons, the animal increases physiological and hematological responses [28].…”

Welfare of dairy cattle in conditions of global climate change

“…Концепція кліматичної аналогії (Wangui et al, 2018) дозволила передбачити фізіологічні та гематологічні реакції голштинської худоби у сенсі тенденцій зміни клімату до 2050-х акцій, а тому рівень їх добробуту цілком залежить від умов, створених людиною. За таких обставин моніторинг повітряного середовища і його безпосередній вплив на фізіологічний стан молочної худоби краще проводити шляхом обчислення спеціальних індексів, які враховують декілька параметрів довкілля (температуру, відносну вологість, швидкість руху повітря), що діють на організм тварин у динамічному комплексі.…”

“…Зазвичай (Das et al, 2016) молочні породи більш чутливі до ТС, ніж м'ясні. Високопродуктивні корови (Wangui et al, 2018) більш чутливі до гіпертермії, оскільки генерують більше метаболічного тепла. Зокрема з точки зору щоденного надою молока та кількості соматичних клітин, симентали були більш стійкою породою до ТС, ніж голштини (Gantner et al, 2017).…”