Improving summer heat tolerance in beef cattle through hair coat removal (2017)

Abstract

It's no secret that their hair coats keep cattle warm. The insulation their coats provide is handy in the winter, but if the cattle don't shed enough hair early enough in the summer, it can be a real problem. In hot and humid conditions, water from sweat gets trapped in spaces between the hair follicles, causing the animals to expend more energy on regulating their body temperature through faster breathing and increased sweating. Thus cattle with thick or woolly coats, characteristic of animals that have not yet shed winter hair, are at a distinct disadvantage in hot and humid climates.