ASSESSMENT OF THERMAL COMFORT IN CALF BARN: USE OF INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.973232218047

• Palavras-chave: heat stress, thermographic imaging, heat exchange

• Keywords: heat stress, thermographic imaging, heat exchange

• Abstract:

  The objective was to evaluate the
  thermal comfort of Holstein calves, in masonry
  calf barn, individually, by obtaining the body
  surface temperature obtained by the infrared
  thermography technique. Data collection took
  place during the month of October 2021, at
  1 pm. Thermographic images were obtained
  at a distance of 1.5 m from the animal (head
  and side). Local climatic conditions were
  recorded and the indices of temperature and
  humidity (THI) and black globe temperature
  and humidity (BGHI) were estimated in the
  external environment and inside the pens
  (calf barn) (THIsun 79.76±0.33 and THIpen
  80.93±0.18; BGHIsun 84.73±0.49 and
  BGHIpen 84.28±0.21). The calves were kept
  confined in an individual masonry stall (two
  animal per each), with a fiber cement tile roof
  covering. On the sides of the pen, the walls are
  1.5 m high, reaching up to the right foot (2.2
  m). According to the thermographic images,
  the thermal exchange between the animal
  and the environment of the stall proved to
  be inefficient, as it was found that the average
  temperature of the body surface (side) of the
  calves was 37.26°C and that of the head was
  33°C. Inside each pen, on the underside of
  the tile, thermographic images indicated an
  average temperature of 55.38°C. According to
  the estimated THI, the environment is alert
  for the animal category. The body surface
  temperature of the calves is influenced by the
  radiation from the tiles that cover the stalls.
  The values of THI and BGHI demonstrate
  that the microclimate of the pen is superior to
  the condition of the external environment. It
  was concluded that the installation where the
  calves are kept, promotes heating on the body
  surface, in addition to resistance to the loss
  of this heat. Thermographic image proved to
  be effective in the assessment of the thermal
  comfort of Holstein calves, pointing out the
  flaws in the physical environment. 

• Número de páginas: 14