Assessing the heat tolerance of 17 beef cattle genotypes

Gaughan, J. B.; Mader, Terry L.; Holt, S. M.; Sullivan, Mitchell J.; Hahn, G. L.

doi:10.1007/s00484-009-0233-4

Cited by 187 publications

(167 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…In order to assess if this was indeed the case, Figure 5 compares the prevalence of various PS categories in thermoneutral, warm, hot and very hot conditions for the unshaded Belgian Blue beef cows and the Holstein cows in our study with those of Angus steers and steers of other B. taurus breeds as reported by Gaughan et al (2010b) (Figure 5). It shows that the Belgian Blue beef cows' and Holstein cows' PS increased more strongly in hot conditions than those of the Angus × Charolais crossbreds or Hereford × Shorthorn crossbreds of Gaughan et al (2010b) (Figure 5). The heat-associated changes in PS of the Belgian Blue and the Holstein cattle were most comparable with that of the Hereford cattle and less marked than in the Angus cattle.…”

Section: Rr and Ps As Indicators Of Thermal Discomfortmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Brown-Brandl et al, 2006;Gaughan et al, 2010a and2010b). However, to our knowledge, it has not been used for this purpose in Belgian Blue cattle, and it has been used in only one other study on Holstein dairy cattle (Schütz et al, 2014).…”

Section: Rr and Ps As Indicators Of Thermal Discomfortmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…PS = panting scores; TNC = thermoneutral; BB = Belgian Blue; Tbg = black globe temperature. *Data were derived from a study by Gaughan et al (2010b). In this study, heat load index thresholds of 70, 77, 86 and 96 were used to define warm, hot, very hot and extreme conditions, respectively.…”

Section: Rr and Ps As Indicators Of Thermal Discomfortmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Not all heat stress thresholds have been validated based on animal-based measures, but the more recent climatic indices, such as the heat load index (HLI; Gaughan et al, 2008), an adjusted version of the temperature humidity index (Mader et al, 2006) and the comprehensive climatic index (Mader et al, 2010) do have validated heat stress thresholds (Table 1). In addition, Gaughan et al (2010b) compared the tolerance to increasing HLI values, based on increasing PS, for several (n = 17 total) Bos indicus, Bos taurus and B. indicus × B. taurus feedlot steers, during summertime in Australia, which is characterised by a warm climate. However, heat tolerance of cattle (even within the same breed) may also vary according to their degree of adaptation, which is different when the cattle are kept in warm v. temperate climate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of summer conditions and shade on behavioural indicators of thermal discomfort in Holstein dairy and Belgian Blue beef cattle on pasture

laer¹,

Moons

Ampe³

et al. 2015

Animal

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Using behavioural indicators of thermal discomfort, that is, shade seeking, panting scores (PS) and respiration rate (RR), we evaluated the effect of hot summer conditions and shade, for a herd of adult Holstein dairy cows and a herd of Belgian Blue beef cows kept on pasture in a temperate area (Belgium). During the summer of 2012, both herds were kept on pasture without access to shade (NS). During the summers of 2011 and 2013 each herd was divided into one group with (S) and one without (NS) access to shade. Shade was provided by young trees with shade cloth (80% reduction in solar radiation) hung between them. For S cows, we investigated how shade use was related to hot conditions as quantified by six climatic indices. The heat load index (HLI), which incorporates air temperature and humidity, solar radiation and wind speed, was the best predictor of the six indices tested. In 2011, there was a relatively high threshold for use of shade. When HLI = 90, shade use probability reached 17% for dairy cows and 27% for beef cows. In 2013, however, at HLI = 90, shade use probability reached 48% for dairy cows and 41% for beef cows. For animals from the NS treatment we determined the effect of hot summer conditions on RR and PS (with 0 = no panting and 4.5 = extreme panting). In both types of cattle, an increase in black globe temperature was the best predictor for increasing RR and PS. Furthermore, we determined how the effect of hot summer conditions on RR and PS was affected by the use of shade. Under hot conditions (black globe temperature ⩾ 30°C), >50% of the animals under shade retained normal PS and RR (PS < 1 and RR < 90 breaths per minute), whereas normal RR and PS were significantly less prevalent for animals outside shade. Our findings suggest that, even in temperate summers, heat can induce thermal discomfort in cattle, as evidenced by increases in shade use, RR and PS, and that shade increases thermal comfort.

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Section: Rr and Ps As Indicators Of Thermal Discomfortmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Rr and Ps As Indicators Of Thermal Discomfortmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Rr and Ps As Indicators Of Thermal Discomfortmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Effect of summer conditions and shade on behavioural indicators of thermal discomfort in Holstein dairy and Belgian Blue beef cattle on pasture

laer¹,

Moons

Ampe³

et al. 2015

Animal

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“…Accounting for ease of locomotion in selective breeding may be a useful strategy to limit the deterioration of welfare observed in dairy cattle and broilers, and also to prevent lameness in pigs, if it were recorded at a young age. The genetics of chronic activity should be analysed in high-production genotypes because their heat tolerance is reduced compared with that of less productive animals (Ravagnolo and Misztal, 2000;Kadzere et al, 2002;N'Dri, 2006;Gaughan et al, 2010). The QTL approach of Reiner et al (2009), used to analyse drinking activity in pigs, suggests that this trait has a polygenic determinism, which would make its selection more difficult.…”

Section: Genetics Of the Behavioural Response To Changes In The Physimentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetics of behavioural adaptation of livestock to farming conditions

Canario

Mignon-Grasteau²,

Dupont‐Nivet

et al. 2013

Animal

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Behavioural adaptation of farm animals to environmental changes contributes to high levels of production under a wide range of farming conditions, from highly controlled indoor systems to harsh outdoor systems. The genetic variation in livestock behaviour is considerable. Animals and genotypes with a larger behavioural capacity for adaptation may cope more readily with varying farming conditions than those with a lower capacity for adaptation. This capacity should be exploited when the aim is to use a limited number of species extensively across the world. The genetics of behavioural traits is understood to some extent, but it is seldom accounted for in breeding programmes. This review summarizes the estimates of genetic parameters for behavioural traits in cattle, pigs, poultry and fish. On the basis of the major studies performed in the last two decades, we focus the review on traits of common interest in the four species. These concern the behavioural responses to both acute and chronic stressors in the physical environment (feed, temperature, etc.) and those in the social environment (other group members, progeny, humans). The genetic strategies used to improve the behavioural capacity for adaptation of animals differ between species. There is a greater emphasis on responses to acute environmental stress in fish and birds, and on responses to chronic social stress in mammals.

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Size does matter: Parallel evolution of adaptive thermal tolerance and body size facilitates adaptation to climate change in domestic cattle

Elayadeth-Meethal

Veettil

Maloney

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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The adaptive potential of livestock under a warming climate is increasingly relevant in relation to the growing pressure of global food security. Studies on heat tolerance demonstrate the interplay of adaptation and acclimatization in functional traits, for example, a reduction in body size and enhanced tolerance in response to a warming climate. However, current lack of understanding of functional traits and phylogenetic history among phenotypically distinct populations constrains predictions of climate change impact. Here, we demonstrate evidence of parallel evolution in adaptive tolerance to heat stress in dwarf cattle breeds (DCB, Bos taurus indicus) and compare their thermoregulatory responses with those in standard size cattle breeds (SCB, crossbred, Bos taurus indicus × Bos taurus taurus). We measured vital physiological, hematological, biochemical, and gene expression changes in DCB and SCB and compared the molecular phylogeny using mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) analysis. Our results show that SCB can acclimatize in the short term to higher temperatures but reach their tolerance limit under prevailing tropical conditions, while DCB is adapted to the warmer climate. Increased hemoglobin concentration, reduced cellular size, and smaller body size enhance thermal tolerance. Mitogenome analysis revealed that different lineages of DCB have evolved reduced size independently, as a parallel adaptation to heat stress. The results illustrate mechanistic ways of dwarfing, body size‐dependent tolerance, and differential fitness in a large mammal species under harsh field conditions, providing a background for comparing similar populations during global climate change. These demonstrate the value of studies combining functional, physiological, and evolutionary approaches to delineate adaptive potential and plasticity in domestic species. We thus highlight the value of locally adapted breeds as a reservoir of genetic variation contributing to the global domestic genetic resource pool that will become increasingly important for livestock production systems under a warming climate.

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Assessing the heat tolerance of 17 beef cattle genotypes

Cited by 187 publications

References 14 publications

Effect of summer conditions and shade on behavioural indicators of thermal discomfort in Holstein dairy and Belgian Blue beef cattle on pasture

Effect of summer conditions and shade on behavioural indicators of thermal discomfort in Holstein dairy and Belgian Blue beef cattle on pasture

Genetics of behavioural adaptation of livestock to farming conditions

Size does matter: Parallel evolution of adaptive thermal tolerance and body size facilitates adaptation to climate change in domestic cattle

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