Evaluating Non-Contact Infrared Thermometry as an Alternative to Rectal Temperature Measurement in Cattle and Goats

This study investigates the correlation between rectal and eye temperatures in cattle and goats, aiming to validate non-contact infrared thermometry as a practical alternative for assessing core body temperature. Experiment 1. Conducted on eleven (n=11) healthy lactating cows; Experiment 2. Conducted on eleven (n=11) healthy goats post-grazing; Experiment 3. Conducted on ten (n=10) healthy goats before and after grazing. Results indicated that eye temperatures were consistently lower than rectal temperatures, with significant positive correlations observed in certain conditions, such as post-grazing in goats. While eye temperature measurements did not consistently match rectal temperatures under normal conditions, they showed potential for detecting thermal responses following heat stress. This suggests that non-contact eye temperature measurement could serve as a supplementary tool for monitoring animal health in specific contexts.