Effect of Atmospheric Temperature on Body Temperature and Respiration Rate of Jersey Cattle

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Abstract
This paper gives the results of a study of 3,298 individual readings of body temp. and of the respiration rates of Jersey cows at the Jeanerette Expt. Station near the Gulf Coast in Louisiana. There was a definite relationship between the body temp. of the cows and the air temp. The av. body temp. ranged from 101[degree]F at an av. air temp. of 50[degree]F, to 103.2[degree]F at an av. air temp. of 95[degree]F, with a correlation coeff. of + 0.57 [plus or minus] 0.0079. There was much the same relationship between respiration rate and air temp., the av. ranging from 20 per min. at an av. air temp. of 50[degree]F, to 90 per min. at an av. air temp. of 95[degree]F, with a correlation coeff. of + 0.77 [plus or minus]0.0048. Keeping cows in the sun at high air temps. caused an av. rise of 0.7[degree]F in body temp. as compared with the body temp. when the same cows were allowed access to shade at the same air temp. The av. (normal) body temp. of Jersey cows within the air temp. range of 50[degree]-60[degree]F was 101.1[degree] [plus or minus]0.5[degree]F, and the av. (normal) respiration rate was 22 [plus or minus] 6 respirations per min. Rhoad found the av. heat tolerance of the Brahman at the Jeanerette Station was 93; the Aberdeen Angus was 52 and that of the crossbreds of these 2 types was intermediate. The heat tolerance of the Jersey cows in this study was 76.9, about the same as that of 1/4 Brahman X i Angus crossbreds.

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