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Švejdová K. et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 2013, 46 (1) 

 
 
 
 

 

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Technological Possibilities of Contactless Measuring the 
Body Surface Temperature 

 
Kateřina Švejdová*, Miloslav Šoch, Anna Šimková, Luboš Zábranský, Luboš Smutný, 

Šárka Smutná, Bohuslav Čermák 

 
University of South Bohemia in the Czech Budejovice, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Sciences 

and Product Quality, 370 05, Studentská 13, České Budějovice, Czech Republic 
 
 
 

 
Abstract 
The regular measuring of the body surface temperature can help to evaluate health condition of animals and react 
immediately on the first symptoms of illness. There are many of technological possibilities of contactless measuring 
the body surface temperature. It is important to find the right part of the body which the temperature will show the 
first possible symptoms of illness. This experiment with dairy cows and heifers was realized at the farm in Petrovice. 
The body surface temperature and rectal temperature of animals were observed in dairy cows and heifers. It was 
rated 3 different groups of dairy cows and heifers in 2 stables. The body temperature was obtained by the 
thermocamera. The temperatures were shot from the 3 different parts of body of animals (the body core, the eyes and 
the udder). The relative humidity, temperature, cooling value environment and flow rate in stable were measured as 
further independent variables. The aim of this study was finding how body temperature correlate together with health 
of animals, reproduction, milk quality, vital signs and productivity of dairy cows and heifers.  

Keywords: body surface temperature, dairy cows, heifers, thermocamera, welfare. 
 
 
 
1. Introduction 
 
The balance of chemical and physical 
thermoregulation is safeguarded with a rectal 
temperature, which is an indicative of the internal 
body temperature. The best indicator of the 
physiological response to stress is body 
temperature because it is under non-stressed 
conditions almost constant. On the basis of the 
changes of the rectal temperature can quickly 
deduce on the thermal load of the body and the 
involvement of an adaptive mechanisms [1]. 
Literature gives the range of the rectal temperature 
in cattle from 37.5 to 39.5 °C [2].  
However Bukvaj [3] shows fluctuations in rectal 
temperature in dairy cows from 36.9 to 39.1 °C. 
The unity of the chemical and physical 
thermoregulation is achieved by the maintaining 

                                                 
 * Corresponding author: Kateřina Švejdová, tel.: 
+420387772640, e- mail: Ramandu@seznam.cz  
 

constant body temperature of animals. However 
there are many factors which may affect such as a 
daytime, an age of animals, a sexual activity, a 
physical performance, a food intake, 
psychological influences, the state cover the body, 
the impact of climate and microclimate etc. [4]. 
To evaluation of the health status of animals can 
help regular measurement of the body surface 
temperature of animals and so immediately 
respond to the first signs of illness. There are 
many methods of contactless measuring the body 
surface temperature. It is important to find the 
right part of the body whose temperature will 
point to the first potential signs of the disease. One 
objective of this experiment was to find how the 
body temperature is correlated with one of the 
microclimatic parameters. In this case it is with 
the cooling value of the environment. 
 
 
 
 



 
 

 
Švejdová K. et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 2013, 46 (1) 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 
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2. Materials and methods 
 
This experiment was carried out at the stables with 
free boxing barns at the farm in Petrovice. 
Measurements were carried out right in the stable 
and cows were fixed in box. Three different 
groups of cows and heifers were evaluated in two 
sheds with different microclimate conditions. The 
temperatures were recorded with a thermographic 
camera Testo 875 from three different parts of the 
body (body core, the eyes and an udder). These 
temperatures were given in the correlation with 
one of the independent microclimatic value – the 
cooling value of the environment. That was 
obtained with the using of the psychrometer. The 
experiment was conducted during three month 
(February to April) at weekly intervals. 36 dairy 
cows and heifers were measured. They were 
divided by 12 pieces in three groups. Cows and 
heifers from the second day to two months after 
calving were in the first group. The second group 
was consisted of cows from fourth to fifth month 
after birth. The third group included cows from 
seventh to eight month after calving. 
Thermograms of body part measurements (body 
core, the eyes and an udder) were taken from a 
thermographic camera Testo 875 and recorded in 
the memory.   The thermograms were then 
evaluated and put together in the tables. The 
average body parts temperatures of animals from 

each measurement were given in the correlation 
with the cooling value of the environment. It was 
obtained with the using of the psychrometer. The 
resulting values were processed into graphs put 
together a program Microsoft Excel.  
 
3. Results and discussion 
 
The results of correlation of the cooling value of 
the environment and average body parts 
temperature of animals (body core, the eyes and 
an udder) are shown in the Figures 1, 2, 3. It was 
found that the temperatures of the measured body 
parts of animals were noticeably affected by the 
ambient temperature.  
The most significant fluctuations were in the third 
group of dairy cows and heifers. This group of 
cows occurred in the different stable than the first 
and second groups which were together in other 
stable. The third group was housed in another shed 
with the significantly different microclimate 
conditions.  
The Figures also show greater fluctuations of the 
cooling values of the environment. That may be 
caused by structural building conditions of the 
stables (windows, open/close doors, etc.) But 
these variations did not significantly affect the 
resulting values of the measured body parts 
temperature of animals. 

 
 

Figure 1. Correlation of the average body core temperature and the cooling value of the environment 



 
 

 
Švejdová K.  et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, 2013, 46 (1) 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 
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Figure 2. Correlation of the average temperature of eye and the cooling value of the environment 

 
 

 
 

Figure 3. Correlation of the average temperature of the udder and the cooling value of the environment 
 



 
 

 
Švejdová L.  et. al./Scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 2013, 46 (1) 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 
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The Figure 2 shows that at least impressionable 
parts of the body were an eye. The different 
factors, such as a length and density of coat, a 
colour or degree of muscularity, on which 
significantly depends the emissivity (the ability to 
emit infrared radiation), acted in the remaining 
two measured parts of the body (body core and an 
udder). 
KURSA et al. [5] state the optimal cooling values 

of the environment for the adult animals 293 - 419 
W.m-2.  The figures observe the cooling values of 
the environment much higher than the exceeding 
value above 502 W.m-2. It should indicate the 
sense of cold for the animals. The increased 
cooling value of the environment like this 
negatively affects the health status of the animals. 
 
4. Conclusions 
 
The measurements in chosen groups of cows and 
heifers at the farm in Petrovice shows that the 
average body parts temperature of animals (body 
core, the eyes and an udder) was not significantly 
affected by the cooling value of the environment.  
A main role played the emissivity and the setting 
of the thermographic camera. Different factors 
such as the nature coat or degree of muscular 

acted for each animal. These significantly affected 
the results. Dairy cows and heifers showed no 
negative effects of thermal comfort though the 
high measured value of the optimal cooling values 
of the environment. 
 
Acknowledgements 
 
This article was written during realization of the 
project NAZV QJ1210144 and GAJU 020/2013/Z 
 
References 
 
1. Nový, Z., Knížková, I., Jílek, F., Kunc, P., Vliv 
nízkých teplot na termoregulaci a energetický 
metabolismus u dojnic. Živoč.výr., 1996, 41, 6, pp.251-
255. 
2. Sova, Z., Bukvaj, J., Koudela, K., Kroupová, V., 
Pješčák, M., Podaný, J., Fyziologie hospodářských 
zvířat. Praha: SZN, 1990, pp. 469. 
3. Bukvaj, J., Vztah organismu skotu k prostředí ve 
velkochovech. VŠZ Praha, agronomická fakulta, 1986, 
pp. 175. 
4. Šoch, M., Vliv prostředí na vybrané ukazatele 
pohody skotu. ZF JU České Budějovice, 2005, pp. 288. 
5. Kursa, J., Jílek, F., Vítovec, J., Rajmon, R., 
Zoohygiena a prevence chorob hospodářských zvířat. 
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