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. 2023 Aug 18;13(8):957.
doi: 10.3390/metabo13080957.

Influence of Heat Stress on Body Temperatures Measured by Infrared Thermography, Blood Metabolic Parameters and Its Correlation in Sheep

Aleksandar Čukić  1 , Simeon Rakonjac  2 , Radojica Djoković  2 , Marko Cincović  3 , Snežana Bogosavljević-Bošković  2 , Milun Petrović  2 , Željko Savić  1 , Ljiljana Andjušić  1 , Biljana Andjelić  4
Affiliations

Influence of Heat Stress on Body Temperatures Measured by Infrared Thermography, Blood Metabolic Parameters and Its Correlation in Sheep

Aleksandar Čukić et al. Metabolites. .

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the influence of heat stress (HS) on body temperature (BT) measured rectally (RT) or by infrared thermography (IRT) of the nose (NT), eye (ET), leg (LT) and abdominal (AT) regions in intensively and extensively breed sheep and to detect a correlation between body temperature and metabolic response in sheep. A total of 33 Wurttemberg × Sjenica Pramenka sheep breeds were examined, 17 ewes were from outdoors and 16 were from indoor housing systems during three experimental periods (thermoneutral period, severe HS and moderate HS). Sheep under HS have a higher BT, and the magnitude of BT measured by infrared thermography (IRT) was higher than RT. LT and AT showed positive linear correlations with the temperature-humidity index (THI), while other ways of measuring BT did not give statistically significant correlations. Sheep under HS showed higher cortisol, insulin, total protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and index of insulin resistance, with lower values of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), non-esterified fatty acids, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, calcium, inorganic phosphates, magnesium and cholesterol. BT and metabolic response were different in the function of the housing method of sheep. LT and AT showed a significant correlation with almost all blood parameters, and the strongest connections were made with T3, T4, BHB and the revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index of insulin resistance. The abdomen and legs are good thermal windows because LT and AT are good summative responses to external ambient THI and internal metabolic changes in sheep under heat stress.

Keywords: adaptation; blood parameters; body temperature; heat stress; sheep; thermoregulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Temperature–humidity index in experimental months (April, June, July) with moment of sampling in Periods 1, 2 and 3.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a–f) Infrared thermography of the nose, (a–c) on pasture and (d–f) in the barn in three exp.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a–f) Infrared thermography of the eye, (a–c) on pasture and (d–f) in the barn.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a–f) Infrared thermography of the eye, (a–c) on pasture and (d–f) in the barn.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a–f) Infrared thermography of the front leg, (a–c) on pasture and (d–f) in the barn.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a–f) Infrared thermography of the abdomen, (a–c) on pasture and (d–f) in the barn.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Linear correlation and regression between average daily THI and (a) leg and abdomen temperature and (b) rectal, nose and eye temperature.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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