Heat Stress in Dairy Animals: Classification, Genetic Selection and Production Index

The objectives of the present study are to: evaluate the effects of environmental temperature on circadian variation of rectal temperature in dairy animals; determine thermo-resistant and thermo-sensitive groups of animals based on this temperature variation; examine new parameters for the ascertainment of caloric stress (e.g., minimum and maximum temperature ratio, number of hours above a certain temperature, and new bounds of temperature and humidity index (THI) more adapted to Brazilian conditions); how this new classification impacts the animals’ productivity, and the possibility of selecting thermo-resistant animals using genomic technologies. The use of automatic devices for animal monitoring allows for a detailed analysis and provides new insight into the thermo-regulation capacity of dairy cows.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ronaldo Cerri

Student:

Partner:

Universidade Estadual Paulista "Julio de Mesquita Filho"

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program:

Globalink Research Award