Predicting Heat Stress: Using THI to Protect Dairy Cows in Mexico's Desert

Ever wondered how the weather affects the health of dairy cows? Scientists in Mexico's northern desert are using a tool called the temperature-humidity index (THI) to figure that out. The THI helps us understand how hot and humid conditions stress out cows. Researchers looked at four years of daily THI data from the Comarca Lagunera region. They found that the THI on any given day can be predicted based on the THI values from the past four days. They used a special model called SARIMA (4, 1, 0)(0, 1, 0)365 to make these predictions. The data showed that the number of days with a high risk of heat stress is increasing each year. This is a big deal because heat stress can hurt a cow's productivity and overall well-being. It's crucial to keep developing these predictive models so farmers can find ways to protect their cows from the heat.