Temperature-humidity Index Research Articles

THE INFLUENCE OF THE VOLUME-PLANNING STRUCTURE OF BUILDINGS ON THE FORMATION OF THERMAL COMFORT OF THE ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE CITY OF KRASNODAR

This article is devoted to the problem of formation of thermal comfort of the surface air layer in the southern city of the Russian Federation Krasnodar in the summer. Indicators of relative air temperature, taking into account the relative humidity in the summer for different types of buildings of the city were determined. During research tempera-ture anomalies in certain parts of the city, the cause of which are architectural and planning and volumetric features of the existing buildings of the city of Krasnodar, and also a degree of planting of the territory with different types of buildings were revealed. According to the obtained data we derived the values of the heat index, according to which in the park areas ex-clusively the lower limit of the range of the heat index value is comfortable, with the upper value in the park areas and in the conditions of the estate development with a long stay outside and / or physical activity is overworked. In the territory of the historical center of Krasnodar, as well as in the territory of multi-storey residential districts, the nature of the thermal impact, according to the heat index means that with prolonged outdoor exposure or physical activity in this area, sun stroke, vascular spasms from overheating are possible. The maximum unfavorable indicators of heat impact on people are observed in the areas of large industrial zones and in the pavilions of the exhibition center of Krasnodar. Here with prolonged exposure or physical activity there is a high probability of sunstroke, vasospasms from overheating. In the result it is established, that for reduction of thermal loads in a hot period for the city of Krasnodar at for-mation of volumetric-planning and architectural-building structure of building should be applied a number of actions for reduction of thermal loadings in a hot period on the person among the city environment, to them belong: optimum density and percent of building, scale gardening of territory, use of the developed system of water constructions, de-velopment of aeration mode among city building by means of various town-planning environments.

Efficacy of Cooling Centers for Mitigating Physiological Strain in Older Adults during Daylong Heat Exposure: A Laboratory-Based Heat Wave Simulation.

Health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, recommend that heat-vulnerable older adults without home air-conditioning should visit cooling centers or other air-conditioned locations (e.g., a shopping mall) during heat waves. However, experimental evidence supporting the effectiveness of brief air-conditioning is lacking. We evaluated whether brief exposure to an air-conditioned environment, as experienced in a cooling center, was effective for limiting physiological strain in older adults during a daylong laboratory-based heat wave simulation. Forty adults 64-79 years of age underwent a 9-h simulated heat wave (heat index: 37°C) with (cooling group, ) or without (control group, ) a cooling intervention consisting of 2-h rest in an air-conditioned room (, hours 5-6). Core and skin temperatures, whole-body heat exchange and storage, cardiovascular function, and circulating markers of acute inflammation were assessed. Core temperature was 0.8°C (95% CI: 0.6, 0.9) lower in the cooling group compared with the control group at the end of the cooling intervention (; hour 6), and it remained 0.3°C (95% CI: 0.2, 0.4) lower an hour after returning to the heat (; hour 7). Despite this, core temperatures in each group were statistically equivalent at hours 8 and 9, within (). Cooling also acutely reduced demand on the heart and improved indices of cardiovascular autonomic function (); however, these outcomes were not different between groups at the end of exposure (). Brief air-conditioning exposure during a simulated heat wave caused a robust but transient reduction in core temperature and cardiovascular strain. These findings provide important experimental support for national and international guidance that cooling centers are effective for limiting physiological strain during heat waves. However, they also show that the physiological impacts of brief cooling are temporary, a factor that has not been considered in guidance issued by health agencies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11651.

The effect of day-only versus day-plus-night cooling of dairy cows

The aim of this study was to assess effects on milk yield (MY), rumen temperature, and panting score when lactating dairy cows were cooled during the day only or during the day and night. The study was conducted over 106 d during using 120 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows assigned to 2 treatments (60 cows/treatment; 2 pens/treatment): (1) day cooling (DC): overhead sprinklers (large droplet) and fans while in the dairy holding yard only, shade and fans at the feedpad, and a shaded loafing area; and (2) enhanced day+night cooling (EDN): overhead sprinklers (large droplet) and fans in dairy holding yard, ducted air blowing onto cows during milking, plus thorough wetting (shower array) on exit from dairy; shade and fans at feedpad (turned off at night); and shaded loafing area + ducted fan-forced air blowing onto cows at night. The ducted air at night was manually activated at 2030 h when the maximum daily temperature-humidity index exceeded 75 and remained on until 0430 h the next day. The cows were fed a total mixed ration ad libitum, and feed intake was determined on a pen basis. Rumen temperature and cow activity were obtained from each cow at 10-min intervals via rumen boluses. Panting scores were obtained by direct observation 4 times a day at approximately 0430, 0930, 1530, and 2030 h. Cows were milked twice daily: 0500 to 0600 h and 1600 to 1700 h. Individual MY were obtained at each milking and combined to give individual daily totals. The EDN cows had greater daily MY (+2.05 kg/cow per day) over the duration of the study compared with DC cows. Rumen temperature during the third heat wave was lower for EDN (39.51 ± 0.01°C) than for DC (39.66 ± 0.01°C) cows. During the most severe heat wave (heat wave 3), MY for the 2 groups was similar, but over the 6 d following the heat wave, EDN cows had greater daily MY (+3.61 kg/cow per day). Rumen temperature was lower for EDN (39.58 ± 0.01°C) than for DC (40.10 ± 0.01°C) cows.

Plasma metabolic profiling reveals that chromium yeast alleviates the negative effects of heat stress in mid-lactation dairy cows.

Chromium yeast (CY) supplementation has the potential to alleviate the negative effects of heat stress in dairy cows, but the mechanism remains elusive. We aimed to identify the metabolic mechanisms whereby CY supplementation alleviates the negative effects of heat stress in mid-lactation dairy cows. Twelve Holstein dairy cows with similar milk yield (24.6±1.5kg/d), parity (2 or 3) and days in milk (125±8d) were fed the same basal diet containing 0.09mg of Cr/kg DM. They were allocated randomly to 2 groups: a control group (CON, without CY supplementation) and a CY group (CY, administered 0.36mg Cr/kg DM). The experiment was performed over 8 weeks during a hot summer, in which the mean temperature-humidity index was 79.0±3.13 (>72), indicating that the dairy cows were exposed to heat stress. Chromium yeast supplementation reduced rectal temperature (P=0.032), and increased the lactation performance by increasing the yield of milk (+2.6kg/d), protein, lactose and total solid, and protein and lactose percentages in the milk of the heat-stressed dairy cows (P<0.05). Supplementation with CY increased the serum glucose and thyroxine concentrations, but reduced the urea nitrogen, insulin, and triiodothyronine concentrations on d 56 (P<0.05). Furthermore, plasma metabolomic analysis was performed using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry, which identified 385 metabolites in the two groups. Subsequently, 16 significantly different metabolites in the plasma, were significantly higher in the CY group (variable importance for the projection >1.0, P<0.05), and found to be involved in 6 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, including those involved in nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Specifically, plasma concentration of nicotinamide was higher after CY supplementation, which might also contribute to the reduction of rectal temperature, the regulation of glucose homeostasis, and an improvement in the lactation performance of heat-stressed dairy cows. In conclusion, CY supplementation reduces rectal temperature, influences metabolism by reducing serum insulin concentration and increasing serum glucose and plasma nicotinamide concentrations, and finally increases lactation performance of heat-stressed dairy cows.

Effects of cow reproductive status, parity and lactation stage on behaviour and heavy breathing indications of a commercial accelerometer during hot weather conditions

Heat stress presents one of the most urgent challenges to modern dairy farming, having major detrimental impacts on cow welfare, health, and production. Understanding the effect of cow factors (reproductive status, parity, and lactation stage) on the physiological and behavioural response to hot weather conditions is essential for the accurate detection and practical application of heat mitigation strategies. To study this, collars with commercial accelerometer-based sensors were fitted on 48 lactation dairy cows to record behaviour and heavy breathing from late spring to late summer. The temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated from measurements of 8 barn sensors. We found that, above a THI of 84, cows in advanced pregnancy (>90 days) spent more time breathing heavily and less time eating and in low activity than other cows, while cows in early pregnancy (≤90 days) spent less time breathing heavily, more time eating and in low activity. Cows with 3+ lactations showed less time breathing heavily and in high activity and more time ruminating and in low activity than cows with fewer lactations. Although lactation stage interacted significantly with THI on time spent breathing heavily, ruminating, eating, and in low activity, there was no clear indication at which lactation stage cows were more sensitive to heat. These findings show that cow factors affect the cow’s physiological and behavioural response to heat, which could be used to provide group-specific heat abatement strategies, thereby improving heat stress management.

Comparisons of the Urbanization Effect on Heat Stress Changes in Guangdong during Different Periods

While rapid urbanization promotes social and economic development, it exacerbates human outdoor thermal comfort, which increases the risks to human health. This paper uses four thermal comfort indices and multiple satellite observations to explore the urbanization effect on summer heat stress in Guangdong from 1979–2018, a coastal province of China. Two types of thermal comfort index are used here, namely the direct thermal comfort index (Heat Index, HI; Temperature–Humidity Index, THI; Discomfort Index, DI) and the physiological thermal comfort index (Universal Thermal Climate Index, UTCI). We compare the differences in the urbanization effects on the changes in the three direct thermal comfort indices (HI, THI, and DI) and a physiological thermal comfort index (UTCI). The results show that all four thermal comfort indices indicate an overall warming trend. Of them, urban sites show a higher warming trend than rural sites, indicating that heat stress changes are significantly influenced by urbanization from 1979–2018, which is consistent with the effect of urbanization on surface air temperature. However, except for the UTCI, this warming of direct thermal comfort indices affected by urbanization has become insignificant under the regional vegetation greening from 2004–2018 (also consistent with surface air temperature). This is primarily attributed to the different effects of wind speed on the physiological thermal comfort index in urban and rural areas: Decreasing wind speeds in urban areas lead to an increase in UTCI, while wind speeds in rural areas increase instead and decrease UTCI, thus widening the UTCI differences between urban and rural areas. Our results indicate that urbanization has a different effect on thermal comfort indices. When using the thermal comfort index, it is necessary to consider that different thermal comfort indices may bring different results. UTCI considers more factors that affect human heat perception, so it can better describe human outdoor thermal comfort. It also highlights the importance of urban ventilation and urban greenness in mitigating urban outdoor thermal comfort in the sustainable construction of future urbanization in coastal cities.

Comparing thermal conditions inside and outside lactating dairy cattle barns in Canada

The health, longevity, and performance of dairy cattle can be adversely affected by heat stress. This study evaluated the in-barn condition [i.e., temperature, relative humidity, and resulting temperature-humidity index (THI)] at 9 dairy barns with various climates and farm design-management combinations. Hourly and daily indoor and outdoor conditions were compared at each farm, including both mechanically and naturally ventilated barns. On-site conditions were compared with on-farm outdoor conditions, meteorological stations up to 125 km away, and NASA Power data. Canadian dairy cattle face periods of extreme cold and periods of high THI, dependent on the regional climate and season. The northernmost location (53°N) experienced about 75% fewer hours of THI >68 compared with the southernmost location (42°N). Milking parlors had higher THI than the rest of the barn during milking times. The THI conditions inside dairy barns were well correlated with THI conditions measured outside the barns. Naturally ventilated barns with metal roofs and without sprinklers fit a linear relationship (hourly and daily means) with a slope <1, indicating that in-barn THI exceeded outdoor THI more at lower THI and reached equality at higher THI. Mechanically ventilated barns fit nonlinear relationships, which showed the in-barn THI exceeded outdoor THI more at lower THI (e.g., 55-65) and approached equality at higher THI. In-barn THI exceedance was greater in the evening and overnight due to factors such as decreased wind speed and latent heat retention. Eight regression equations were developed (4 hourly, 4 daily) to predict in-barn conditions based on outdoor conditions, considering different barn designs and management systems. Correlations between in-barn and outdoor THI were best when using the on-site weather data from the study, but publicly available weather data from stations within 50 km provided reasonable estimates. Climate stations 75 to 125 km away and NASA Power ensemble data gave poorer fit statistics. For studies involving many dairy barns, the use of NASA Power data with equations for estimating average in-barn conditions in a population is likely appropriate especially when public stations have incomplete data. Results from this study show the importance of adapting recommendation on heat stress to the barn design and guide the selection of appropriate weather data depending on the aim of the study.

Modeling the effects of heat stress in animal performance and enteric methane emissions in lactating dairy cows

Heat stress (HS) negatively affects dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield (MY), feed efficiency (FE), and free water intake (FWI) in dairy cows, with detrimental consequences to animal welfare, health, and profitability of dairy farms. Absolute enteric methane (CH4) emission, yield (CH4/DMI), and intensity (CH4/MY) may also be affected. Therefore, the goal of this study was to model the changes in dairy cow productivity, water intake, and absolute CH4 emissions, yield, and intensity with the progression (days of exposure) of a cyclical HS period in lactating dairy cows. Heat stress was induced by increasing the average temperature by 15°C (from 19°C in the thermoneutral period to 34°C) while keeping relative humidity constant at 20% (temperature-humidity index peaks of approximately 83) in climate-controlled chambers for up to 20 d. A database composed of individual records (n = 1,675) of DMI and MY from 82 heat-stressed lactating dairy cows housed in environmental chambers from 6 studies was used. Free water intake was also estimated based on DMI, dry matter, crude protein, sodium, and potassium content of the diets, and ambient temperature. Absolute CH4 emissions was estimated based on DMI, fatty acids, and dietary digestible neutral detergent fiber content of the diets. Generalized additive mixed-effects models were used to describe the relationships of DMI, MY, FE, and absolute CH4 emissions, yield, and intensity with HS. Dry matter intake and absolute CH4 emissions and yield reduced with the progression of HS up to 9 d, when it started to increase again up to 20 d. Milk yield and FE reduced with the progression of HS up to 20 d. Free water intake (kg/d) decreased during the exposure to HS mainly because of a reduction in DMI; however, when expressed in kg/kg of DMI it increased modestly. Methane intensity also reduced initially up to d 5 during HS exposure but then started to increase again following the DMI and MY pattern up to d 20. However, the reductions in CH4 emissions (absolute, yield, and intensity) occurred at the expense of decreases in DMI, MY, and FE, which are not desirable. This study provides quantitative predictions of the changes in animal performance (DMI, MY, FE, FWI) and CH4 emissions (absolute, yield, and intensity) with the progression of HS in lactating dairy cows. The models developed in this study could be used as a tool to help dairy nutritionists to decide when and how to adopt strategies to mitigate the negative effects of HS on animal health and performance and related environmental costs. Thus, more precise and accurate on-farm management decisions could be taken with the use of these models. However, application of the developed models outside of the ranges of temperature-humidity index and period of HS exposure included in this study is not recommended. Also, validation of predictive capacity of the models to predict CH4 emissions and FWI using data from in vivo studies where these variables are measured in heat-stressed lactating dairy cows is required before these models can be used.

Prediction of drinking water requirements by applying statistical and machine learning models in growing-finishing stage of pigs

Effective monitoring and management of drinking water in swine buildings is a crucial aspect for promoting pigs' health and productivity. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify and model drinking water intake (DWI) in growing-finishing pigs by providing them with three concentrated diets in experimental pig barns. Two independent experiments were conducted in three experimental barns between 2021 and 2022. One statistical (multiple linear regression) and four machine learning algorithms (elastic net, random forest regression, support vector regression, and multilayer perceptron) were employed, with feed intake (FI), mass of pigs (MP), pigs' body temperature (PBT), room temperature (RT), CO2 concentration (RCO2), and temperature-humidity index (RTHI) as input parameters. The results revealed that pigs with a body mass of 30 to 60 kg consumed approximately 3.58 L of drinking water and 2.10 kg of concentrated diet per day. Additionally, strong positive correlations were observed between MP, FI, and DWI (correlation coefficient (r) > 90) during both experimental periods. The findings indicated that the random forest regression algorithm performed the best, explaining over 90% and 80% of the observed and predicted data during the training and testing phases, respectively. However, during the testing phase, the multiple linear regression methods performed the worst (R2 < 0.79 and RMSE > 0.89 L pig−1 day−1) when compared to the other models. Sensitivity analysis indicated that among all the variables, MP had the greatest impact on predicting DWI, followed by FI, RCO2, RTHI, and RT. The study concluded that random forest regression could predict DWI precisely, which can assist pig farmers in enhancing their water monitoring capabilities and promptly assessing the availability of drinking water.

Adopting Resilience Thinking through Nature-Based Solutions within Urban Planning: A Case Study in the City of València

The paper exposes the experience of València in applying climate-resilient thinking to the current revision of the city’s General Urban Development Plan. A semi-quantitative, indicator-based risk assessment of heat stress was carried out on the 23 functional areas of the city sectorized by the Plan, including modeling and spatial analysis exercises. A data model of 18 indicators was built to characterize vulnerability. A thermal stress map was developed using the URbCLim model and a heat index was then calculated using Copernicus hourly data (air temperature, humidity, and wind speed) for the period of January 2008–December 2017 at a spatial resolution of 100 m × 100 m. General recommendations at the city level as well as guidelines for development planning in the functional areas at risk are provided, with specifications for the deployment of nature-based solutions as adaptation measures. From a planning perspective, the study positively informs the General Urban Development Plan, the City Green and Biodiversity Plan, and contributes to City Urban Strategy 2030 and City Missions 2030 for climate adaptation and neutrality. Applying the same approach to other climate change-related hazards (i.e., water scarcity, pluvial flooding, sea level rise) will allow better informed decisions towards resilient urban planning.

NASA POWER satellite meteorological system is a good tool for obtaining estimates of the temperature-humidity index under Brazilian conditions compared to INMET weather stations data.

Heat stress negatively affects livestock, with undesirable effects on animals' production and reproduction. Temperature and humidity index (THI) is a climatic variable used worldwide to study the effect of heat stress on farm animals. Temperature and humidity data can be obtained in Brazil through the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), but complete data may not be available due to temporary failures on weather stations. An alternative to obtaining meteorological data is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (NASA POWER) satellite-based weather system. We aimed to compare THI estimates obtained from INMET weather stations and NASA POWER meteorological information sources using Pearson correlation and linear regression. After quality check, data from 489 INMET weather stations were used. The hourly, average daily and maximum daily THI were evaluated. We found greater correlations and better regression evaluation metrics when average daily THI values were considered, followed by maximum daily THI, and hourly THI. NASA POWER satellite-based weather system is a suitable tool for obtaining the average and maximum THI values using information collected from Brazil, showing high correlations with THI estimates from INMET and good regression evaluation metrics, and can assist studies that aim to analyze the impact of heat stress on livestock production in Brazil, providing additional data to complement the existing information available in the INMET database.

Reaction time as a libido indicator and its relation to pre-freeze and post-thaw sperm quality in bulls.

Libido and sperm quality output relationship is already not clear in farm animals. The present study compared reaction time (RT) as a libido indicator and the pre-freeze and post-thaw sperm quality of AI bulls. Before the collection of ejaculates (n = 53, from 22 AI bulls [4.2 ± 1 years of age]), RTs were collected using a chronometer as the interval between the bull's arrival at the semen collection area and his first false mount (FM) on another male. The ejaculates were examined for their volume, concentration and motility. Subsequently, all aliquots were diluted with a commercial semen extender and equilibrated for 3 h before freezing. Frozen semen samples were thawed and examined for sperm kinematics using CASA, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity of sperm (PMAI) by flow cytometry. Additionally, the temperature humidity index (THI) values were assessed during the study. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyse the data. The results indicated that THI had a significant effect on libido (p < .001). However, libido had no effect on either pre- or post-thaw sperm quality parameters except for the velocity of the average pathway (VAP) (p < .05). Therefore, relying solely on RT -libido- as an indicator of bull sperm quality at AI stations may not be reliable, as it is a complex behavioural assessment.

3D numerical modeling of THI distribution in livestock structures: a cattle barn case study

In dairy cattle farming, heat stress largely impairs production, health, and animal welfare. The goal of this study is to develop a workflow and a numerical analysis procedure to provide a real-time 3D distribution of the THI in a generic cattle barn based on temperature and humidity monitored in sample points, besides characterizing the relationship between indoor THI and outside weather conditions. This research was carried out with reference to the study case of a cattle barn. A model has been developed to define the indoor three-dimensional spatial distribution of the Temperature-Humidity Index of a cattle barn, based on environmental measurements at different heights of the building. As a core of the model, the Discrete Sibson Interpolation method was used to render a point cloud that represents the THI values in the non-sampled areas. The area between 1-2 meters was emphasized as the region of greatest interest to quantify the heat waves perceived by dairy cows. The model represents an effective tool to distinguish different areas of the animal occupied zone characterized by different values of THI.

Estimates of Water Consumption of Growing Pigs under Practical Conditions Based on Climate and Performance Data.

The water consumption of fattening pigs was recorded under practical conditions and compared with calculated water consumption. The experiment was carried out in the summer of 2020 with 79 fattening pigs. Data loggers were used to record the climate data, such as temperature and relative humidity. These data were used to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). It was found that there were sometimes considerable discrepancies between the measured and the calculated water consumption. One possible reason for this discrepancy could be the age of the existing water requirement equations, as in recent decades there has been a clear breeding development and thus a strong increase in pig performance. Based on these deviations, six new water consumption equations were established, which considered the variables body weight (BW), temperature, THI and feed consumption. It was found that the THI and BW should be included in one equation as predictor variables and the evaluation also showed good results. Its use, in practice, should also be considered. Overall, it became apparent that there is still a need for further research to make water consumption equations more precise. This would require a larger database.

Evaluating the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Land Surface Temperature in Relation to the Land Use/Land Cover changes in Nag-Hammadi District, Egypt, using Remote Sensing and GIS

In this study, three multi-temporal remotely sensed data acquired from Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat -8 Operational Land Imager/Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIRS) in 1990, 2005, and 2020 were used. The maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) was opted to classify land use and land cover (LULC). Land surface temperature (LST) and LULC spectral indices i.e., Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Latent Heat Index (NDLI) and Bare Soil Index (BSI) have been computed and their relationships were examined. The overall accuracy of LULC was more than 93%. The analyses showed a notable transformation in LULC over the study period. For instance, built-up areas increased 103.7% with a rate of 45.5 ha/year and agriculture land increased by 28.9% with a rate of 186.4 ha/year. Whereas, bare soil was sharply decreased by 36.4% at a rate of 227.7ha/year. The minimum and maximum LST values increased by 2.9°C and 4.9°C, respectively, from 1990 to 2020. Furthermore, LST has a negative relationship with NDVI and NDLI (NDVI: 1990: r2 = 0.62; 2005: r2 = 0.62; 2020: r2 = 0.65. NDLI: 1990: r2 = 0.79; 2005: r2 = 0.78; 2020: r2 = 0.61) and a positive relationship with NDBI and BSI (NDBI: 1990: r2 = 0.68; 2005: r2 = 0.73; 2020: r2 = 0.44. BSI: 1990: r2 = 0.77; 2005: r2 = 0.78; 2020: r2 = 0.53). These results provided useful information about LULC changes and its impact on LST, which are necessary for experts and land-use planners to formulate sustainable LST mitigation policies, create an environmental comfort in Nag-Hammadi district, and other geographical locations with similar conditions.

Effect of roof modification on micro-climate of animal shed

A study was conducted to compare the effect of roof modification with use of polycarbonate plastic sheet and its variable height on micro-climate of growing dairy heifers. The experiment was carried out on three sheds for three seasons, viz. hot-dry (summer) season, hot-humid (rainy) season and winter season. In control group (C), loose housing system was followed and corrugated cemented sheets were used as roofing material. In T1, polycarbonate sheets were used as roofing material with fixed height. In T2, polycarbonate sheets were used as roofing material with adjustable height. Daily ambient temperature (°C), dry and wet bulb temperature outside the shed (macro-climate) and inside the shed (micro-climate), Relative Humidity and Temperature Humidity Index were being recorded twice a day at 9.00 am and 2: 30 pm for three continuous days at fortnightly interval. The average temperature of animal shed was significantly lower in T2 (27.30±0.10), followed by T1 (28.28±0.04) and C (29.46±0.16). In T2 lower temperature of shed than control was recorded during summer. Increasing the height of shed with ridge ventilation might have helped to dissipate heat easily in T2. The overall THI was significantly lower in T2 (76.50 ± 0.16) followed by T1 (77.91 ± 0.05) and higher in control (78.74 ± 0.25), which might be due to less penetration of solar radiation via reflective polycarbonate sheet and higher height of roof in T2. The micro-environment was more conducive and comfortable in T2 than control. Polycarbonate roofing with adjusted higher height may be a desirable choice for animal housing to mitigate heat stress in summer.

149 Case Study: The Impact of a Fogging System on Dairy Cow Comfort in Cows Housed in a Barn with Tunnel Ventilation and an Automatic Milking System

Abstract Fogging systems control microclimatic parameters of barns to provide immediate cooling to dairy cows during heat stress conditions. However, the benefits of implementing a fogging system to cow comfort behaviors have not been thoroughly investigated in lactating cows. Therefore, the objective of this case study was to evaluate cow comfort behaviors and milk productivity in cows managed in a tunnel-ventilated barn in a commercial dairy farm that uses an automatic milk system. Sixty Holstein lactating dairy cows (45-90 days in milk; DIM) were monitored and housed in group pens (6 pens; n = 10 cows/pen). Four weeks before the fogging system installation, cows had pedometers (IceQube, IceRobotics, Inc., United Kingdom) and SCR rumination collars (SCR by Allflex; Israel) placed for continuous daily activity and rumination levels monitoring, respectively. Productivity information was acquired using automatic robotic milking technology (Lely Astronaut A5; Iowa, United States), and all variables were measured until four weeks after fogger system installation. Activity behavior (lying duration, daily step count, and number of transitions) and productivity (daily milk yield and milk speed) were evaluated before (PRE; 20-day pre-installation period), during (DURING; 2-day period), and after fogger installation (POST; 35-day post-installation period). Data were analyzed using PROC GLM in SAS 9.4 with cow as the experimental unit and temperature-humidity index (THI) included in the model as a covariate. Overall, cows spent more time lying (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in the POST period versus PRE and DURING. Cows performed fewer daily transitions between lying and standing (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in the POST versus PRE period, but no differences were detected (P = 0.67) among the step counts observed PRE, DURING, and POST fogger installation. Average milk speed and average milk yield were decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.01) in the POST period compared with the PRE and DURING periods. Temperature-humidity index significantly influenced (P &amp;lt; 0.01) lying time but did not have an effect on any other variables measured. In summary, installation of a fogger system in a commercial tunnel-ventilated barn improved cow comfort behaviors in lactating cows managed with an automated robotic milking system but did not offer immediate production performance benefits.

181 Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Daily Feeding Behavior in Swine

Abstract Heat stress has negative impacts on pork production, particularly during the grow-finish phase. During heat stress events, swine alter feeding behavior to reduce heat production, which can negatively affect performance. Recent technology advancements in feed management systems allow for individualized data recording of feeding behavior for group housed pigs during the finishing phase. The objective of this study was to utilize an RFID-based feed management system to determine feeding behavior patterns of finishing pigs during heat stress conditions and identify changes in behavior due to heat stress events. Data included one pen of 29 Duroc boars reared in a mechanically ventilated facility in north central North Carolina. Feed Intake Recording Equipment (FIRE) pig feeders (n = 3; Osborne Technologies) fed individual pigs in the group housed setting using RFID technology and recorded the number of visits, feed intake of each visit, visit duration, and body weight of each pig during each visit. Feeders were calibrated once per week to ensure accuracy of feed intake and body weight measurements. On day 1 of the study, pigs were placed in the experimental pen and body weights were recorded (37.4 kg ± 4.9 kg) using the FIRE feeders. Air temperature, humidity, and dew point data were collected continuously every 5 minutes from day 13 until the end of the finishing period. Pigs exited finishing (134.5 ± 8.6 kg) on day 83. Feeding behavior traits (number of visits and feed intake) were summarized by day. Temperature, humidity, and heat index were summarized by a maximum, minimum, and mean value for each day. Average temperature, humidity, feeder visits a day, and average daily feed intake across the trial was 26.3 ± 1.6 º C, 75.8 ± 6.7%, 6.1 ± 1.0 visits, 2.66 ± 0.39 kg. Models were used to associate feeding behavior traits with the quadratic effects of day and the linear effects of average temperature and humidity and the interaction of temperature and humidity. Temperature and humidity were associated (P &amp;lt; 0.01) number of feeder visits and average daily intake per day. Further, there was an interaction (P &amp;lt; 0.01) between temperature and humidity in relation to number of feeder visits and average daily feed intake. Results suggest substantial variation in feeding behaviors can be explained by temperature and humidity.

Respons Fisiologis Sapi Pedaging terhadap Pengabutan Air Menggunakan Sprinkler Water

Indonesia is facing the problem of low productivity of cattle. To increase the productivity of cattle producer, it can actually be done by relocating the cattle to the comfort zone by observing the physiological response. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effects of misting cattle’s environment by using water sprinkler on the physiological response and the microclimate of the cattle’s shed. The design used was a paired T-test for physiological and microclimate response variables with 5 replications and a completely randomized design to determine the difference between body surface temperatures. The observations were conducted before water misting and after water misting. The results showed that treatment of misting water in the afternoon significantly decreased (P&lt;0.05) the variables of cage temperature, humidity, temperature humidity index, rectal temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate. Water misting in the afternoon in cattle produced a good effect on all physiological response variables.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: beef cattle, pen microclimate, physiological responses, water sprinkler

Building envelope resilience to climate change under Italian energy policies

As a result of recent geopolitical events, zero-energy buildings must include a climate change prevention strategy. Policies are moving in the direction of an energy transition. Italian regulations, complying with European directives, are driving toward increasingly thermally insulated buildings. An important objective of this study is to determine whether updates to building energy efficiency regulations from 2005, particularly for the envelope, will result in increased envelope resilience to climate change. The building was analyzed without air conditioning, simulating an extreme case of a long period without gas supply. It has been located in all Italian climate zones and adapted to respect the local requirements imposed by national regulations for each climate zone. The legal requirements investigated are Italian Legislative Decree 192/2005, Italian Ministerial Decree 26/6/2015, and Italian Ministerial Decree 6/8/2020. The forecasting analyses were carried out considering the years 2030, 2050, and 2070 and three Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (RCP 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5). The analysis of the results focused on trends of heating, cooling and total thermal performance index from the years 2030–2070. For all RCP scenarios, the 2015 and 2020 requirements optimize total envelope performance in terms of total thermal performance index and perform particularly well with the 2020 limits. It is clean that lowering the transmittance of the envelope components leads to an improvement in the total thermal performance index which, however, by maintaining the same trend over the years with the different scenarios, suggests that the resilience of the envelope to climate change is actually little affected by the transmittance value of the component structures.