The effective monitoring of body temperature in cattle

Accurate monitoring of cattle's body temperatures is crucial for ensuring optimal herd health and productivity. Octavia Avesca Spandiel spoke to animal health experts for tips on precise temperature readings, early disease detection, and maintaining biosecurity in a herd.

- Octavia Avesca Spandiel

Temperature monitoring in cattle is a fundamental practice that ensures the health, productivity, and biosecurity of the animals. Accurate temperature readings can help with the early detection of illnesses, thereby improving treatment outcomes and reducing mortality rates.

In this article, Ernest Makua, livestock technical adviser at the Red Meat Industry Services, and Dr Sakhi Nkosi, technical veterinarian at Afrivet, explore the importance of accurate temperature monitoring and best practices for measuring the temperatures of a cattle herd.

WHY TEMPERATURE IS IMPORTANT

"The normal body temperature for a calf that is a few days old should be between 38,5C and 40°C. As it grows older, its temperature range decreases slightly to between 38,5C and 39,5°C," says Makua. The normal body temperature for mature cattle is slightly lower still. "The body temperature of a mature cow should be between 37,5°C and 39,2°C," Makua adds. He stresses the importance of monitoring these ranges, as deviations can indicate health issues like high fever, which is often a sign of serious illnesses such as lumpy skin disease and redwater.

According to Makua, temperature monitoring is crucial for the early detection of diseases like pneumonia and mastitis. "By identifying issues early on, farmers can take timely action to treat symptoms and prevent the spread of disease," he explains.