[Taking body temperature in cattle - critical evaluation of an established diagnostic test]

Measuring the body temperature is an essential component of the clinical examination of bovines. Next to its value for the diagnosis of diseases, body temperature also is an important value in clinical studies concerning estrus detection, calving time point prediction, or the evaluation of heat stress. This systematic review critically evaluates different methods of measuring bovine body temperature including rectal measurement, vaginal or ruminal temperature loggers, milk temperature, and infrared body surface thermography. Although body temperature measurement is a commonly employed and established diagnostic test, a close look at scientific studies displays multiple factors influencing body temperature data. The variability of results emphasizes the relevance of critically evaluating new measuring methods before introducing them into research or routine practice. Especially in terms of identifying specific cut-off values, i. e. for fever defined as body temperature > 39.5°C, the precision of the method is of importance, as the acquired values possess a high degree of influence on the veterinary decision taking process.