Animal Science Department

 

Title

Effects of Environmental Factors on Body Temperature of Feedlot Cattle

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2009

Comments

Published in 2009 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report (Lincoln, NE: December, 2008). Copyright © 2008 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.

Abstract

Tympanic temperature of 32 Angus steers (919 ± 7.5 lb) was measured with Micro-T ibuttons or the Stowaway data loggers. Environmental variables were collected using weather stations located in the pens to evaluate factors influencing body temperature. A multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of these factors on body temperature of feedlot cattle. Tympanic temperature tended to be higher for Stowaway compared to Micro-T data loggers (102.6 vs. 102.41°F ± 0.072, respectively; P = 0.053). Tympanic temperature was driven primarily by outgoing solar radiation and wind speed (R2=0.79).