Establishment and risk factor assessment of the abnormal body temperature probability prediction model (ABTP) for dairy cattle

Abstract

The study aims to develop an abnormal body temperature probability (ABTP) model for dairy cattle, utilizing environmental and physiological data. This model is designed to enhance the management of heat stress impacts, providing an early warning system for farm managers to improve dairy cattle welfare and farm productivity in response to climate change. The study employs the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) algorithm to analyze environmental and physiological data from 320 dairy cattle, identifying key factors influencing body temperature anomalies. This method supports the development of various models, including the Lyman Kutcher-Burman (LKB), Logistic, Schultheiss, and Poisson models, which are evaluated for their ability to predict abnormal body temperatures in dairy cattle effectively. The study successfully validated multiple models to predict abnormal body temperatures in dairy cattle, with a focus on the temperature-humidity index (THI) as a critical determinant. These models, including LKB, Logistic, Schultheiss, and Poisson, demonstrated high accuracy, as measured by the AUC and other performance metrics such as the Brier score and Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test. The results highlight the robustness of the models in capturing the nuances of heat stress impacts on dairy cattle. The research develops innovative models for managing heat stress in dairy cattle, effectively enhancing detection and intervention strategies. By integrating advanced technologies and novel predictive models, the study offers effective measures for early detection and management of abnormal body temperatures, improving cattle welfare and farm productivity in changing climatic conditions. This approach highlights the importance of using multiple models to accurately predict and address heat stress in livestock, making significant contributions to enhancing farm management practices.

Keywords: Abnormal body temperature probability (ABTP); Dairy cattle; Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO); Temperature-humidity index (THI).