Effect of Environmental Temperature on Diurnal Variation of Blood Constituents in the Bovine

Abstract

Five yearling Hereford steers were maintained in the open sunlight for three sampling periods; each period separated by 7 days. Feed was withheld during the sampling periods and water was restricted throughout the second sampling period. Whereas total serum protein varied directly in a linear fashion, blood creatinine, plasma cholesterol and carotene showed an inverse relationship with environmental temperature. A consistent relationship existed between time of sampling and plasma carotene concentration. Statistical analyses failed to show a consistent relationship between sampling time or temperature and levels of uric acid and glucose.