Animal Science, Department of
Date of this Version
January 2005
Abstract
Four heifers were used in two trials comparing the effect of high energy and high roughage diets on three body temperature measurements. Body temperatures were measured in the vagina, in the ear canal near the tympanic membrane, and in the rumen. The high roughage diet lowered all three measures of body temperatures as compared with the high energy diet. Vaginal, tympanic, and ruminal temperature all appeared to effectively measure body temperature as they followed the same diurnal cycle; however, ruminal temperatures were, on average, 0.5 to 1.4°F higher than other body temperature measures.
Comments
Published in 2005 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. Copyright © 2004 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.