Behavioural, physiological, neuro-endocrine and molecular responses of cattle against heat stress: an updated review

Abstract

The negative impact of heat stress on cattle growth, development, reproduction and production has been quite alarming across the world. Climate change elevates earth surface temperature which exacerbates the wrath of heat stress on cattle. Moreover, cattle in tropical and sub-tropical countries are most commonly affected by the menace of heat stress which severely wane their production and productivity. In general, cattle exhibit various thermoregulatory responses such as behavioural, physiological, neuro-endocrine and molecular responses to counteract the terrible effects of heat stress. Amongst the aforementioned thermoregulatory responses, behavioural, physiological and neuro-endocrine responses are regarded as most conventional and expeditious responses shown by cattle against heat stress. Furthermore, molecular responses serve as the major adaptive response to attenuate the harmful effects of heat stress. Therefore, present review highlights the significance of behavioural, physiological, neuro-endocrine and molecular responses which act synergistically to combat the deleterious effects of heat stress thereby confer thermo-tolerance in cattle.

Keywords: Cattle; Heat stress; Thermoregulatory responses.