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An Integrated Approach Using Temperature-Humidity Index, Productivity, and Welfare Indicators for Herd-Level Heat
Roman Mylostyvyi1, Olena Izhboldina2
1Department of Animal Feeding and Breeding Technologies, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, S. Efremov Str. 25, 49600 Dnipro, Ukraine.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|November 27, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a new framework to assess heat stress in dairy cows by combining the temperature-humidity index (THI) with welfare indicators. Integrating these factors improves the accuracy of monitoring and managing thermal load in dairy farming.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Agricultural Engineering
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- The temperature-humidity index (THI) is widely used for dairy heat stress assessment.
- Current THI applications face limitations due to methodological inconsistencies and lack of welfare indicator integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a unified analytical framework for evaluating herd-level thermal load.
- To integrate THI with productivity, feed intake, and clinical welfare indicators (mastitis, lameness).
Main Methods:
- Utilized two years of herd-level data from a commercial dairy farm.
- Employed general linear models (GLM) to analyze direct and delayed effects of heat stress.
- Assessed model reproducibility across years.
Main Results:
- Maximum daily THI strongly correlated with milk composition and dry matter intake.
- Cumulative and night-time heat load increased mastitis and lameness incidence.
- Incorporating welfare indicators significantly enhanced THI model explanatory power.
Conclusions:
- The proposed framework offers a more biologically relevant assessment of dairy cattle heat stress.
- This approach improves herd-level monitoring accuracy and supports predictive welfare-oriented management.
- Enhanced THI models provide valuable insights for dairy systems facing thermal challenges.
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