Sweating rate at different body regions in cattle and its correlation with some quantitative components of sweat gland volume for a given area of skin

Abstract

Sweating rates at five body regions on four Jersey and four Sahiwal x Jersey crossbred heifers were measured in a hot room under three treatments differing in temperature and duration. The correlations between sweating rate and some quantitative components of sweat gland volume for a given area of skin were examined.

Differences in sweating rate between body regions, interactions between breed and body region in sweating rate, and differences in sweating rate for the various treatments were all shown to be statistically significant. There was no significant interaction between body regions and treatment in sweating rate.

Between body regions within an animal, there was a positive correlation between sweat gland population density and sweating rate and a negative correlation between mean sweat gland volume and sweating rate. This negative correlation was associated with the fact that regions with high sweat gland population density also tended to have smaller sweat glands and vice versa. Indications of a positive correlation between the total sweat gland volume per unit area and sweating rate were also found, though none of these approached statistical significance.