Thermal Comfort Index for Lactating Water Buffaloes under Hot and Humid Climate

摘要

Heat stress drastically affects the productive and reproductive performance of animals in addition to causing welfare issues. Therefore, thermal comfort is an important consideration to avoid performance losses and other adverse effects of heat stress on animal physiology under various production systems. Moreover, it is becoming more important under the recent scenario of climate change. The present study was conducted to develop a thermal comfort index for buffaloes. Physiological parameters of buffaloes and environmental variables were recorded to develop the index models through typical correlation. The most accurate model was based on body surface temperature, rectal temperature and respiratory rate and can be used effectively to indicate the state of thermal comfort in buffaloes under hot and humid climate.