Infrared thermography as a tool to evaluate body surface temperature and its relationship with feed efficiency in XXXX @entity291 in tropical conditions.

@entity2194 @entity5584 @entity291 @entity7040
UNASSIGNED: The aims of this study were to evaluate the use of infrared thermography (IRT) images as a tool for monitoring body surface temperature and to study its relationship with residual feed intake (RFI) in Nellore @entity291 . We also evaluated IRT as an indicator of feed efficiency in @entity7040 @entity291 . In this study, 144 Nellore steers were fed high-concentrate diets for 70  days to evaluate feedlot performance. We examined nine animals classified as high RFI and nine animals classified as low RFI by measuring @entity5584 ( @entity5584 ), respiratory frequency (RF), and IRT in the front, eye, @entity2194 , cheek, flank, ribs, rump, and front feet. The measurements were taken at 0700, 1200, and 1600 hours. The IRT temperatures measured at the eye, cheek, flank, ribs, rump, and front feet were positively associated with RF and @entity5584 . These results indicate that increases in the temperatures are associated with increased RF and @entity5584 . There was an effect in the RFI group in the front region where IRT correlates with @entity5584 . The front IRT for high-RFI @entity291 was lower (P   <   0.01) than that for low-RFI @entity291 . The higher skin temperature measured by IRT for animals in the RFI group may be related to improved efficiency of thermoregulatory mechanisms because the @entity5584 remained lower in the low-RFI group. IRT can be used in the head for studies related to RFI in beef @entity291 .
