A model of heat and moisture dissipation from cattle based on thermal properties
Thermal regulation in animals is governed both by physiological and physical processes. This article describes a mathematical model of the heat transfer processes from cattle. In this model, the partitioning of heat and moisture dissipation from the animal is governed by the relation between the internal heat production and the potential heat loss as determined by the thermal properties of the body and the thermal environment. This approach makes it possible to handle the differences in thermoregulatory responses between animals with different metabolic rates. The model provides data for the design and control of climatization systems in livestock buildings as well as information about the state of the animals thermoregulatory system. Such information is of great importance in any evaluation of animal thermal comfort or stress.