Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42101540›Full record

ArticleTropical animal health and production2026

Distinct physiological and immunoendocrine responses in indigenous dairy heifers during cold-humid (THI-50) vs. hot dry (THI-76) climatic conditions.

Neha Rajawat, Ajay Kumar Dang

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Article in Tropical animal health and production, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Neha RajawatLactation and Immunophysiology Laboratory, Division of Animal Physiology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001, India.
Ajay Kumar DangLactation and Immunophysiology Laboratory, Division of Animal Physiology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001, India. rajadang@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7306-5302

Funding

Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India BT/PR46654/AAQ/1/864/2022
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Thermal stress threatens dairy productivity in tropical climates, even for heat-adapted indigenous Sahiwal cows (Bos indicus). Temperature extremes combined with humidity impair thermoregulation, immune function, and welfare amid climate change. This study evaluated physiological and immune endocrine responses in nulliparous Sahiwal heifers (n = 6) aged 12-18 months across THI levels of 50, 59, 67, and 76. Repeated measurements on the same animals generated 12 observations per THI level. Physiological parameters (rectal temperature, respiration, and pulse rates) and plasma biomarkers (cortisol, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α, via ELISA) were measured at each THI level. Escalating THI from 50 (cold-humid) to 76 (hot-dry; dry-bulb 29.52 °C, wet-bulb 23.27 °C) elicited graded responses. Rectal temperature increased modestly (P < 0.05) to 39.47 °C at THI-76 (+ 2.3% vs. thermoneutral THI-67). Respiration rate showed the greatest sensitivity, surging + 18.7% at THI-76 and declining - 18.3% at THI-50. Pulse rate rose + 13.6% under hot-dry stress. Cortisol followed a biphasic pattern, dropping at THI-67 before rebounding 1.8-fold at THI-76 (+ 84.3% vs. THI-67), with even greater elevation (+ 127.6%) at cold-humid THI-50. Cytokines displayed stress-specific shifts: IL-6 fluctuated, anti-inflammatory IL-10 surged + 39.6% at THI-76, and TNF-α declined then mildly rose. Respiration rate and cortisol emerged as prime stress indicators. Both cold and heat disrupt Th1/Th2 balance, underscoring the need for season-specific microclimate management in tropical dairy systems.

Indexed as

Cold TemperatureHot TemperatureHumidityStress, PhysiologicalAnimalsBiomarkersBody TemperatureBody Temperature RegulationCattleCytokinesDairyingFemaleHydrocortisoneRespiratory RateTropical ClimateBiomarkersCytokinesHydrocortisoneCytokineIndigenous dairy heifersStressTemperature extremesTHI

Identifiers

PMID42101540

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.