Changes in Skin Temperature and Physiological Reactions in Murrah Buffalo During Solar Exposure in Summer

Six adult female Murrah buffaloes of about 12 years were exposed to solar radiation during summer when minimum and maximum ambient temperatures were 27.1 and $44.1^{\circ}C$, respectively. The skin surface temperature at forehead, middle pinna, neck, rump, foreleg, hind legs were recorded using non-contact temperature measuring instrument and respiration rate and rectal temperature were measured throughout the 24 hours starting from 6:30 AM. The diurnal fluctuations and temperature gradients have been reported for buffaloes. During summer when ambient temperature and solar radiation was maximum, adult buffaloes were not able to maintain their thermal balance even after increasing the pulmonary frequency 5 - 6 times. The changes in skin temperature at various sites indicate that the temperature of skin surface not only varies in relation to exposure but also due to water diffusion and evaporation.