Abstract.
A model is presented for the respiratory heat loss in sheep, considering both the sensible heat lost by convection (C R) and the latent heat eliminated by evaporation (E R). A practical method is described for the estimation of the tidal volume as a function of the respiratory rate. Equations for C R and E R are developed and the relative importance of both heat transfer mechanisms is discussed. At air temperatures up to 30 °C sheep have the least respiratory heat loss at air vapour pressures above 1.6 kPa. At an ambient temperature of 40 °C respiratory loss of sensible heat can be nil; for higher temperatures the transfer by convection is negative and thus heat is gained. Convection is a mechanism of minor importance for the respiratory heat transfer in sheep at environmental temperatures above 30 °C. These observations show the importance of respiratory latent heat loss for thermoregulation of sheep in hot climates.
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Gomes da Silva, R., LaScala, N., Lima Filho, A. et al. Respiratory heat loss in the sheep: a comprehensive model. Int J Biometeorol 46, 136–140 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-002-0128-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-002-0128-0