DOI: 10.5061/dryad.vdncjsz19
title: Data from: A comprehensive study of respiration rates in dairy cattle

description: Respiration rate (RR) is often used to assess health and heat stress in
 cattle, influencing decisions that affect their welfare (e.g., medical
 treatment, cooling). Despite its importance, systematic information on how
 RR responds to various intrinsic and extrinsic factors is limited. This
 study recorded RR and behavior of 406 female Holstein and Jersey cattle
 (newborn to sixth lactation cows) in California over a year, aiming to: 1)
 describe RR across different life stages (calves, heifers, lactating, and
 dry cows), 2) evaluate how different weather or thermal load indexes
 predict RR using linear regression and mixed models, and 3) assess the
 effects of individual characteristics (life stage, breed, milk production,
 lactation state) and behavior (posture, location) on RR in a Mediterranean
 climate. A total of 11,210 RR and behavior records were obtained over 39 d
 between October 2016 and August 2017. Each record was paired with
 individual characteristics and 25 different weather parameters within 5
 min of collection. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, mixed
 models, linear and multinomial logistic regressions. Across all life
 stages, RR ranged from 16 to 185 breaths/min, with first and third
 quartiles at 37 and 59 breaths/min, respectively. The likelihood of upper
 normal RR values (30 to 50 breaths/min, according to some textbooks) was
 highest when air temperatures (AT) were below 20-25°C, depending on the
 life stage. During observations, AT ranged from 1.8 to 43.9°C and was the
 sole most reliable RR predictor, accounting for 35% of the observed
 variation. While most individual characteristics and behaviors influenced
 RR, the biological significance was sometimes unclear. Calves showed the
 highest RR increase (+17 breaths/min per 10°C increase in AT), while dry
 cows had the lowest (+11 breaths/min). Changes for heifers and lactating
 cows were 13 and 14 breaths/min per 10°C increase in AT, respectively. We
 suspect differences in cooling provision and metabolic rates across
 categories drove these results. In general, Jersey cattle had higher RR
 than Holsteins, (~3 breaths/min every 10°C), except in calves. RR were the
 lowest when heifers, lactating, and dry animals were near the feed bunk,
 likely due to soakers' provision for mature cattle. RR averaged 52
 and 49 ± 3 breaths/min for lying down and standing postures, respectively,
 with &lt;1 breath/min change per 10°C increase in AT. For lactating
 cows, RR increased by ~2 breaths/min for every 10 kg of milk produced but
 reduced by ~1 breath/min for every 50 d of pregnancy. There was no
 relationship between RR and DIM or lactation number. Our study
 systematically collected RR data from a relatively large number of dairy
 cattle across different life stages and weather conditions, suggesting
 that current textbook RR thresholds may underestimate upper values for
 cattle and demonstrating that AT was the most reliable predictor of RR
 changes in a Mediterranean climate. RR varied with life stage, breed,
 posture, location, milk yield, and gestation length, with more pronounced
 changes in calves, suggesting a need for further research to understand
 these variations and their welfare implications.
description: # Data from: A comprehensive study of respiration rates in dairy cattle
 [Access this dataset on Dryad](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.vdncjsz19)
 This study recorded RR and behavior of 406 female Holstein and Jersey
 cattle (newborn to sixth lactation cows) in California over a year, aiming
 to: 1) describe RR across different life stages (calves, heifers,
 lactating and dry) throughout the year, 2) evaluate how different weather
 or thermal load indexes predict RR using linear regression and mixed
 models, and 3) assess the effects of individual characteristics (breed,
 age, milk production, lactation state) and behavior (posture, location) on
 RR in dairy cattle in Mediterranean climate. A total of 11,210 RR and
 behavior records were obtained over 39 days between October 2016 and
 August 2017. Each record was paired with 25 different weather parameters
 and individual characteristics. We observed a wide range of RR in dairy
 cattle, with AT within 5-min of observation being the best predictor of
 RR, regardless of the statistical approach. Many of the behavioral and
 individual characteristics tested had statistically significant effects on
 RR outcomes, but the magnitude of these changes was not substantial.
 However, life stage was a notable exception. The RR in calves and heifers
 was more sensitive to increases in AT than previously suggested, and the
 upper normal RR described in textbooks often observed when AT was
 relatively low. ## Description of the data and file structure Tresoldi RR
 Master Data Dryad 241114: All data can be found in the "Master
 Data" sheet, where each row represents a single data point. Blank
 rows indicate non-applicable data (e.g., only calves have access to a
 hutch, or only cows are assigned a lactation number). Missing data entries
 are marked as ".". Column descriptions are provided in the
 "Column Description" sheet. Tresoldi RR Supplemental Table 1:
 Displays the probability of various respiration rates (breaths/min) across
 a range of air temperatures (°C) for different life stages of dairy
 cattle. Tresoldi RR Supplemental Figures 1-5: These figures illustrate the
 dairy facility layout and housing arrangements for cattle based on life
 stage. ## Code/Software Statistical analysis is described in the
 associated research publication.