Fever measurement – an efficient early warning system in the cattle barn

questions and answers

What is fever?

When does a calf, a beef, a cow have a fever?

Calf: 38.5 to 39.5 degrees Celsius
Young cattle: 38.0 to 39.5 degrees Celsius
adult animals: 38.0 to 39.0 degrees Celsius

Body temperatures that are higher than the standard values described above are called fever (exceptions are sunstroke and heat stroke. Here the body temperature is increased because the outside temperature is so high or the animals have been exposed to the heat for so long)..

Body temperatures that are below these values are called hypothermia. This means all values below 37.5 degrees Celsius.

How do I measure body temperature in cattle?

Make the thermometer glide with water, gel or soap! This is more pleasant for the animals and also for you, since experience has shown that the animals make fewer defensive movements.
Push the thermometer almost completely into the rectum and hold the end. The thermometer tip should be in contact with the mucous membrane so that it can actually measure. This is particularly important, for example, in calves that have had diarrhea for a long time >

What are the causes of an increase in body temperature?

What are the causes of a decrease in body temperature?

When should I routinely measure body temperature for which group of animals??

Measuring fever is a great early warning system and should be standard in a professionally run business.

It is advisable to routinely measure body temperature in the following groups of animals:

Raising cows (about a week before calving)

how often: once a day
Lowering of body temperature: Indication of a possible risk of ketosis or milk fever (also possible before calving)> Observe feed intake, possibly calcium prophylaxis.
Rise in body temperature: udder control! Vaginal discharge? => Call the vet!

shortly after birth (three and five hours after birth)Low temperature?
Indications of the onset of milk fever, loss of blood due to birth injuries
=> Notify veterinarian!increased body temperature?
Indication of possible infection, udder control, birth control
=> Notify veterinarian
once a day for the first ten days after birth
high temperature?
Check whether the afterbirth has gone (should have happened in the first 6-12 hours after the birth), stinking discharge? Udder control with shawl test
=> Notify veterinarianreduced temperature: Milk fever and or ketosis risk
=> Check feed intake, increased control density

in case of illness: If the first illness (flu and / or diarrhea) occurred in the calf group, you should measure the body temperature of all calves in the group once a day. The obviously sick calves are mostly just the tip of the iceberg and the increased body temperature is the first sign of the disease. If one treats the sick animals at this stage, the chances of recovery are much greater than if one waits until the first diarrhea appears or the calf coughs.
in the case of rearrangements or stables: if new calves come into the group, pathogens from outside the stall can also be brought into the group. In addition, new grouping means stress for the calves, which also weakens the animal’s immune system.

As soon as you see a conspicuous animal, you should measure your body temperature.

Documentation of the findings:

Create opportunities in the different sections of the barn to document your findings. Nobody can keep all the measured values in mind! Using a table that contains the animal number, date, time of measurement and determined temperature, it can be checked whether the animal has been measured and what status (healthy / noticeable).

Note: This article contains information on how a possible deviation in body temperature can be assessed. The most likely options were listed. However, every living being and every course of the disease is individual and therefore there may be other reasons for an increased or decreased body temperature. For this reason, it is important to call a veterinarian early, who can examine the abnormal animal on site, make a diagnosis and initiate the appropriate therapy.

Briefly noted:

Cows can reduce their methane emissions?

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. Agriculture accounts for 58% of German methane production. A scientist from the University of Aarhus in the laboratory has now succeeded in reducing the methane production of the rumen bacteria to zero using a feed additive. Feeding tests on cattle are now to demonstrate the practicality of the feed additive approved in Europe. This could also make milk production even more climate-friendly. (AgE)

Photovoltaic webinar

Online portal of the milk practice

Subscribe to our media partner’s magazine now:

Newsletter Sign up

Our newsletter informs you about the latest in dairy farming.

Measuring the right fever in children

experto.de Reading time: 2 minutes Babies and toddlers easily get infections and quickly get an elevated body temperature. Measuring fever is not always…
Are 40 degrees fever dangerous in children?

40 degrees fever are dangerous in children? You will learn about the topic » Updated on March 5, 2019 How should parents react to fever? Compared to…
Fever, fever phases and 7 measures that help against it

Fever, fever phases and 7 measures that help against it Fever and episodes of fever Fever is a condition in our society that almost everyone has…
Baby fever: symptoms and what to do about it

Fever baby: symptoms and what you can do about it Fever baby: symptoms and what you can do about it March 9, 2018 – 4:15 p.m. This helps against fever in…