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International journal of biometeorology2021; 65(7); 1053-1067; doi: 10.1007/s00484-021-02087-z

Comparison of body temperature in donkeys using rectal digital, infrared, and mercury-in-glass thermometers during the hot-dry season in a tropical savannah.

Abstract: The study aimed at comparing variations in body temperature values recorded using rectal digital, infrared, and mercury-in-glass thermometers in donkeys during the hot-dry season, prevailing under tropical savannah conditions. Thirty donkeys that served as subjects were divided into three groups of adults, yearlings, and foals. Values of the body temperature of each donkey were recorded bihourly, starting from 06:00 h till 18:00 h, by digital (5-cm depth of insertion), mercury-in-glass (3 cm depth), and infrared thermometers. The values obtained by each type of the thermometer were compared with those recorded using a 15-cm digital probe (Model HI935007, Hanna Instruments, range -50.0 to 150.0°C; accuracy ± 0.2°C) which served as the gold standard. Dry-bulb temperature (34.00 ± 0.50°C), temperature-humidity index (79.65 ± 0.15), and wet-bulb globe temperature (28.00 ± 0.50) index peaked at 14:00 h. The mean body temperatures for rectal probe, digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared thermometers were 38.35 ± 0.11°C, 37.24 ± 0.04°C, 36.76 ± 0.06°C, and 36.92 ± 0.07°C, respectively. In comparison to the rectal probe, the mean bias for digital (-1.11 ± 0.05°C), mercury-in-glass (-1.59 ± 0.07°C), and infrared thermometers (-1.38 ± 0.07°C) was large. The Passing-Bablok regression plot demonstrated significant deviation from linearity (p < 0.01) when digital, infrared, and mercury-in-glass thermometers were compared to the rectal probe. The area under the curve (AUC) for digital (AUC: 0.7005 ± 0.01 [95%: 0.6853 - 0.7310], infrared (AUC: 0.6711 ± 0.01 [95%: 0.6322 - 0.7100], and mercury-in-glass (AUC: 0.6321 ± 0.01 [95%: 0.6001 - 0.7873] thermometers showed poor accuracy with low sensitivity. In conclusion, the use of digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared thermometers in recording body temperature in donkeys during the hot-dry season underestimated the values. Their use in measuring body temperature may result in wrong diagnosis, and compromise the control of hyperthermia and diseases associated with thermoregulatory impairments in donkeys.
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Publication Date: 2021-02-22 PubMed ID: 33616760DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02087-zGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper examines the difference in body temperature readings taken from donkeys using various types of thermometers during a hot-dry season in a tropical savannah environment. It concludes that in comparison with a rectal probe, digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared thermometers significantly underestimate donkey body temperature.

Study Design and Methods

  • The study compared body temperature readings from three different types of thermometers: digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared.
  • Thirty donkeys were involved in the experiment and were divided into groups of adults, yearlings, and foals.
  • The measurements were taken every two hours over a twelve-hour period (from 6 am to 6 pm).
  • The rectal probe was used as the gold standard for comparison. All other readings were compared to it.

Results of the Study

  • The study found that the surrounding temperature and humidity peaked at 2 pm.
  • On average, the rectal probe read the body temperature of the donkeys as 38.35°C, while the digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared thermometers read it at lower temperatures (37.24°C, 36.76°C, and 36.92°C, respectively).
  • There was observed bias in the readings of the digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared thermometers when compared to the rectal probe.
  • The Passing-Bablok regression plot, a statistical method used to compare the agreement between two different methods, showed a significant deviation from linearity when the digital, infrared, and mercury-in-glass thermometers readings were compared to that of the rectal probe.

Conclusion and Implications

  • The study concluded that the digital, mercury-in-glass, and infrared thermometers significantly underestimated body temperature readings in donkeys during the hot-dry season.
  • The inaccuracy of these thermometers in measuring body temperature could lead to wrong diagnoses and could compromise the management of conditions related to thermoregulation in donkeys.

Cite This Article

APA
Zakari FO, Ayo JO. (2021). Comparison of body temperature in donkeys using rectal digital, infrared, and mercury-in-glass thermometers during the hot-dry season in a tropical savannah. Int J Biometeorol, 65(7), 1053-1067. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-021-02087-z

Publication

International journal of biometeorology
ISSN: 1432-1254
NlmUniqueID: 0374716
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 65
Issue: 7
Pages: 1053-1067

Researcher Affiliations

Zakari, Friday Ocheja
  • Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria. fridayzakari@gmail.com.
Ayo, Joseph Olusegun
  • Department of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Body Temperature
  • Equidae
  • Horses
  • Mercury
  • Rectum
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Seasons
  • Temperature
  • Thermometers

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Ake AS, Ayo JO. Effects of packing on the diurnal rhythms of respiratory and heart rates in donkeys during the hot-dry season. J Equine Sci 2022 Dec;33(4):55-62.
    doi: 10.1294/jes.33.55pubmed: 36699200google scholar: lookup
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