ARS | Publication request: Development of self-contained, indwelling vaginal temperature probe for use in cattle research

Submitted to: Journal of Thermal Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: October 18, 2011
Publication Date: July 5, 2012
Citation: Burdick, N.C., Carroll, J.A., Dailey, J.W., Randel, R.D., Behrands, S.M., Schmidt, T.B. 2012. Development of self-contained, indwelling vaginal temperature probe for use in cattle research. Journal of Thermal Biology. 37(4):339-343.

Interpretive Summary: This research represents a collabortive effort by scientists from the Livestock Issues Research Unit, Texas AgriLife Research at Overton, and Mississippi State University. An indewelling device was developed to monitor the vaginal temperature of cattle in a research setting. This device decreases labor involved with monitoring temperature compared with manual temperature readings. It also allows for temperature measurements without the presence of a human handler or without restraint, which can agitate cattle. The device consists of a blank controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device that holds an indwelling vaginal temperature probe logger. The fabrication of the device costs approximately US $325 per unit. Similar rectal and vaginal temperature responses to lipopolysaccharide challenge were observed when vaginal and rectal temperatures were measured simultaneously in the same animal. Additionally, rectal and vaginal temperatures were strongly correlated. Similar to the rectal temperature monitoring device, the vaginal device allows for the measurement of vaginal temperature without the potential biases associated with the stress response produced by cattle as a reaction to the presence of humans. The vaginal temperature monitoring device will provide researchers with an additional inexpensive tool to study physiology in female cattle. This information will be of interest to researchers who wish to measure rectal or vaginal temperature measurments during experiments. It can be used is several types of cattle research and in several different experimental conditions including transportation, the study of environmental stress, and in extensive and confined condictions. The vaginal temperature recording device will help reduce time necessary to measure vaginal temperature in cattle, and will increase the amount of temperature data that can be collected on each animal during an experiment.

Technical Abstract: A device was developed to monitor the vaginal temperature of cattle in a research setting. This device decreases labor involved with monitoring temperature compared with manual temperature readings. It also allows for temperature measurements without the presence of a human handler or without restraint, which can agitate cattle. The device consists of a blank controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device that holds an indwelling vaginal temperature probe logger. The fabrication of the device costs approximately US $325 per unit. Similar rectal and vaginal temperature responses to lipopolysaccharide challenge were observed when vaginal and rectal temperatures were measured simultaneously in the same animal. Additionally, rectal and vaginal temperatures were strongly correlated. Similar to the rectal temperature monitoring device, the vaginal device allows for the measurement of vaginal temperature without the potential biases associated with the stress response produced as a reaction to the presence of humans. The vaginal temperature recording device will provide researchers with an additional inexpensive tool to study physiology in female cattle.