Publication Type
Journal Article
Publication Date (Issue Year)
2023
Journal Name
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Abstract
Heat stress is an important problem for dairy industry in many parts of the world owing to its adverse effects on productivity and profitability. Heat stress in dairy cattle is caused by an increase in core body temperature, which affects the fat production in the mammary gland. It reduces milk yield, dry matter intake, and alters the milk composition, such as fat, protein, lactose, and solids-not-fats percentages among others. Understanding the biological mechanisms of climatic adaptation, identifying and exploring signatures of selection, genomic diversity and identification of candidate genes for heat tolerance within indicine and taurine dairy breeds is an important progression toward breeding better dairy cattle adapted to changing climatic conditions of the tropics. Identifying breeds that are heat tolerant and their use in genetic improvement programs is crucial for improving dairy cattle productivity and profitability in the tropics. Genetic improvement for heat tolerance requires availability of genetic parameters, but these genetic parameters are currently missing in many tropical countries. In this article, we reviewed the HS effects on dairy cattle with regard to (1) physiological parameters; (2) milk yield and composition traits; and (3) milk and blood metabolites for dairy cattle reared in tropical countries. In addition, mitigation strategies such as physical modification of environment, nutritional, and genetic development of heat tolerant dairy cattle to prevent the adverse effects of HS on dairy cattle are discussed. In tropical climates, a more and cost-effective strategy to overcome HS effects is to genetically select more adaptable and heat tolerant breeds, use of crossbred animals for milk production, i.e., crosses between indicine breeds such as Gir, white fulani, N’Dama, Sahiwal or Boran to taurine breeds such as Holstein-Friesian, Jersey or Brown Swiss. The results of this review will contribute to policy formulations with regard to strategies for mitigating the effects of HS on dairy cattle in tropical countries
Keywords
metabolites, mitigation strategies, dairy cattle breeds, tropical and sub-tropical
Rsif Scholar Name
Vincent Habimana
Thematic Area
Food security and Agribusiness
Africa Host University (AHU)
Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania
Funding Statement
This study was funded by the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) through the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) awarded to VH to carry out doctoral studies at SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya). The funders had no role in study design, the decision to publish, or the preparation of the manuscript. The findings and conclusions of this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Recommended Citation
Habimana, V., Nguluma, A., Nziku, Z. C., Morota, G., Mrode, R., & Chenyambuga, S. (2023). Heat stress effects on milk yield traits and metabolites and mitigation strategies for dairy cattle breeds reared in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, 1121499. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1121499