Infrared thermography as a non-invasive method for evaluating stress in lactating dairy cows during isolation challenges

Abstract

The overall objective of the current data report was to evaluate and test the feasibility of using infrared thermography (IRT) as a non-invasive method for measuring stress signs in lactating dairy cows during short negative challenges, such as visual isolation from herd-mates. The study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of the Research and Development Institute for Bovine Romania, on 20 Holstein-Friesian lactating multiparous dairy cows, between August and September 2022. Cows were housed in two identical tied stanchion barns (170/85 cm), and were isolated individually from the herd for 240 min post-morning milking. Our results shown significant (p ≤ 0.05) rises for both orbital and nasal IRT temperatures following the isolation challenge, suggesting that such approaches could represent adequate tools for assessing social stress in cattle. Overall, current results are in accordance with previous studies which validated both eye and nasal regions as IRT thermal windows for studying the effects of painful and negative contexts on stress response in farmed ruminants, while considering the stress-induced hyperthermia as an integral part of the physiological response to negative stimuli, as well as the current limitations that this tool faces.

Utilization of Infrared Thermography in Assessing Thermal Responses of Farm Animals under Heat Stress

“…Mincu et al [101] found that surface temperature also changes when exposed to other psychological stressors. In dairy Holstein-Friesian cows, an increase of 2 • C in ocular surface temperature was reported after social isolation.…”

Hypothalamic Neuromodulation and Control of the Dermal Surface Temperature of Livestock during Hyperthermia

“…One of the tools used to evaluate dermal surface temperature as an indicator of well-being in livestock is infrared thermography (IRT). Thus, various studies have exposed the possible uses and applications of IRT—for example, in the phenomena of hyperthermia associated with stress in lactating dairy cows during isolation challenges [ 73 ], diagnostic support of subclinical mastitis not only in cows but also camels ( Camelus dromedarius ) [ 74 , 75 ], and febrile processes due to diseases and in the evaluation of negative emotions such as fear and anxiety [ 9 , 76 ]. All these cases were evaluated indirectly by the vasomotor response associated with the increase in surface temperature.…”

“…One of the tools used to evaluate dermal surface temperature as an indicator of wellbeing in livestock is infrared thermography (IRT). Thus, various studies have exposed the possible uses and applications of IRT-for example, in the phenomena of hyperthermia associated with stress in lactating dairy cows during isolation challenges [73], diagnostic In the orbital region (El1), the highest temperature can be observed, where the maximum, average, and minimum temperatures are above dorsal values by 0.9 • C, 1.3 • C, and 1.8 • C, respectively. This thermal difference between the regions may be due to the arrangement of the number of sweat glands and even the amount of blood capillaries present at a superficial level that affects the heat elimination capacity, which would facilitate the animals' ability to recover thermoneutrality.…”

“…Cattle Stress-associated hyperthermia in lactating dairy cows during isolation challenges [73] Sheep hoof thermoregulation. A difference of 8.5 • C was determined between healthy and diseased hooves (diagnostic sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 91%).…”