Reducing heat stress of Bali cattle under a tropical condition by water sprinkler

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Although Bali (native breed of Indonesia) cattle has already adapted to tropical conditions, but this breed was reported to be in heat stressed under the high ambient temperature. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect water sprinkler on the physiological responses of Bali cattle during the hot season. Two groups of 6 young Bali males were used in this study. The animals were kept individually in an animal house and fed with rice straw and native grasses supplemented with rice bran and urea multinutrients molasses block. The first group (control group) was kept without water sprinkler and the second group (treatment group) was treated with an individual water sprinkler located about 1 m above the animal. The water sprinklers were applied for 6 consecutive days, three times a day (8.00, 12.00 and 16.00 hr.) each lasting for 30 minutes. The physiological responses (body temperature, respiration rate and pulse rate) and ambient temperature were measured at 05.00, 09.00, 13.00, 17.00, 21.00 and 01.00 hr. Daily water intake was recorded. Mean ambient temperature at 05.00, 09.00, 13.00, 17.00, 21.00 and 01.00 hr. were 20.50º, 32.17º, 37.33º, 30.00º, 21.67º, and 20.33ºC, respectively. Treatment group showed a significant (P<0.05) lower mean body temperature during day time (09.00, 13.00 and 17.00 hr.) in compared to those in the control group (38.1ºC vs 38.5ºC). During the night (21.00, 01.00 and 05.00 hr.), there were no significant different of mean body temperature between the two treatments (38.0ºC vs 38.1ºC). Similar responses were detected for respiration rate and pulse rate. Respiration rate was significantly lower (P<0.01) during day time in the treatment group in compared to that in the control group (18.1 vs 20.8 breaths/minute). Mean pulse rate at 13.00 and 17.00 hr. in the treatment was significantly lower (P<0.01) in compared to that in control group (64.3 vs 70.2 beats/min). Mean daily water intake was significantly (P<0.01) lower in the treatment group in compared to that in the control group (12.1 vs 19.3 liters/day). It can be concluded that high temperature during day time of the hot season induced a heat stress. The application of water sprinkler could effectively reduce the heat stress in Bali cattle.