Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction

Climate change has caused heat stress (HS) to become an increasingly severe problem for high-producing dairy herds. Although cooling systems allow milk production to remain nearly constant throughout the year, fertility decreases during summer. Physiological counter-current heat transfer mechanisms...

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Main Author: Fernando LÓPEZ-GATIUS
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Society for Reproduction and Development 2025-01-01
Series:The Journal of Reproduction and Development
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrd/71/2/71_2024-101/_pdf/-char/en
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author Fernando LÓPEZ-GATIUS
author_facet Fernando LÓPEZ-GATIUS
author_sort Fernando LÓPEZ-GATIUS
collection DOAJ
description Climate change has caused heat stress (HS) to become an increasingly severe problem for high-producing dairy herds. Although cooling systems allow milk production to remain nearly constant throughout the year, fertility decreases during summer. Physiological counter-current heat transfer mechanisms maintaining brain/hypothalamic and reproductive functions in cattle are vulnerable to HS. In this study, I propose strategies to improve cooling systems, particularly in zones with the highest risk of increased body temperature, such as milking areas. In addition, heat transfer mechanisms to protect the brain–hypothalamus axis from hyperthermia must be considered when implementing measures to reduce HS-related problems.
format Article
id doaj-art-32feb474affe487084b51b291a431205
institution OA Journals
issn 0916-8818
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language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher The Society for Reproduction and Development
record_format Article
series The Journal of Reproduction and Development
spelling doaj-art-32feb474affe487084b51b291a4312052025-08-20T02:28:02ZengThe Society for Reproduction and DevelopmentThe Journal of Reproduction and Development0916-88181348-44002025-01-01712687010.1262/jrd.2024-101jrdCan thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproductionFernando LÓPEZ-GATIUS0Agrotecnio Centre; University of Lleida, 25198 Lleida, SpainClimate change has caused heat stress (HS) to become an increasingly severe problem for high-producing dairy herds. Although cooling systems allow milk production to remain nearly constant throughout the year, fertility decreases during summer. Physiological counter-current heat transfer mechanisms maintaining brain/hypothalamic and reproductive functions in cattle are vulnerable to HS. In this study, I propose strategies to improve cooling systems, particularly in zones with the highest risk of increased body temperature, such as milking areas. In addition, heat transfer mechanisms to protect the brain–hypothalamus axis from hyperthermia must be considered when implementing measures to reduce HS-related problems.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrd/71/2/71_2024-101/_pdf/-char/encavernous sinusgraafian folliclenasal ventilationoviducttemperature gradient
spellingShingle Fernando LÓPEZ-GATIUS
Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
The Journal of Reproduction and Development
cavernous sinus
graafian follicle
nasal ventilation
oviduct
temperature gradient
title Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
title_full Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
title_fullStr Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
title_full_unstemmed Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
title_short Can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows? Insights from counter-current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
title_sort can thermoregulatory response to heat stress be improved in lactating dairy cows insights from counter current heat transfer systems impacting reproduction
topic cavernous sinus
graafian follicle
nasal ventilation
oviduct
temperature gradient
url https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jrd/71/2/71_2024-101/_pdf/-char/en
work_keys_str_mv AT fernandolopezgatius canthermoregulatoryresponsetoheatstressbeimprovedinlactatingdairycowsinsightsfromcountercurrentheattransfersystemsimpactingreproduction