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Analysis of climatic risk for cattle and buffalo production in northeast Thailand

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Abstract

A study of thermal stress risk for cattle and buffalo was made in the Northeast Region of Thailand. Three-hourly air and dew-point temperatures from 15 selected meteorological stations for the period 1990 to 1999 were used to compute values of the temperature/humidity index (THI). Maps of isolines of THI values were generated by geographical software. A THI ≥ 84 was assumed to represent conditions where production losses would be likely to occur. Across the study area, the mean total number of days with THI ≥ 84 was 56. However, there was a strong north to south gradient across the region. The results suggest that the highest risk of loss to production in the cattle and buffalo industries is in the southern part of this region.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge K.G. Hubbard, School of Natural Resource Science, University of Nebraka, Lincoln, Pongsak Moncharoen, EGAT, Thailand, and Dr. Ed Sarobol, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Thailand, for acting as consultants, the Meteorological Department, The Ministry of Communications, Thailand, for data collection, and the Royal Golden Jubilee Scholarship under the Thailand Research Fund for financial support for the project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

    P. Somparn, K. Markvichitr & C. Vajrabukka

  2. Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, North Wyke Research Station, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK

    M. J. Gibb

  3. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

    N. Chaiyabutr

  4. Livestock Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

    S. Thummabood

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  1. P. Somparn
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  2. M. J. Gibb
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  3. K. Markvichitr
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  4. N. Chaiyabutr
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  5. S. Thummabood
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  6. C. Vajrabukka
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Correspondence to P. Somparn.

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Somparn, P., Gibb, M.J., Markvichitr, K. et al. Analysis of climatic risk for cattle and buffalo production in northeast Thailand. Int J Biometeorol 49, 59–64 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-004-0206-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-004-0206-6

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