Current Research in Dairy Sciences1994-5434xxxx-xxxxKnowledgia Review10.3923/crds.2016.1.5OlorunnisomoO.A. EwuolaE.O. 1201681In order to evaluate the response of zebu cows to heat mitigation measures, twenty four non-gestating Sokoto Gudali cows were subjected to four treatments; no cooling (control), cooling with fan, cooling with shower, cooling with fan and shower. Animals were grazed daily inside fenced pastures from 8 am to 1 pm (when the sun is overhead) after which cooling measures were applied under shade. Ambient temperatures, Relative Humidity (RH) and Temperature Humidity Index (THI) during study were determined. Rectal Temperature (RT), Respiratory Rates (RR) and blood profile of test animals were also measured. Mean daily temperature varied from 26.5-28.3°C, maximum temperatures from 32.2-33.6°C, RH from 77.3-82.1% and THI from 77.5-78.5. There were significant (p<0.05) reductions in RT and RR of cows 1h after application of cooling measures. The RT was 39.2, 38.5, 38.5 and 38.0°C while RR was 30.1, 26.0, 26.7 and 22.1 breaths min1 for control, fan, shower and fan+shower, respectively. Erythrocyte count was 11.1, 13.0, 13.1 and 18.0 (×106 μL1) while leukocyte count was 20.6, 16.6, 16.7 and 14.6 (×103 μL1) for control, fan, shower and fan+shower respectively. It may be concluded that application of cooling measures reduced heat load and enhanced erythrogenesis in zebu cows. The best results were obtained when fan and shower were combined in cooling the animals.]]>Aggarwal, A. and R.C. Upadhyay,199710318323Armstrong, D.V.,19947720442050Collier, R.J., G.E. Dahl and M.J. Van Baale,20068912441253Cunningham, E.P.,19871987Ewuola, E.O. and G.N. Egbunike,20081.]]>743044309Ewuola, E.O., O.A. Olorunnisomo, F.G. Oyeniyi and A.A. Oni,20143176183Galukande, E., H. Mulindwa, M. Wurzinger, R. Roschinsky, A.O. Mwai and J. Solkner,201352111125Gaughan, J.B., T.L. Mader, S.M. Holt, M.J. Josey and K.J. Rowan,19997723982405Hansen, P.J.,200482-83349360Kimaro, E.G. and O.C. Chibinga,20132013Marai, I.F.M., A.A. Habeeb, A.H. Daader and H.M. Yousef,199530219225Olbrich, S.E., F.A. Martz, H.D. Johnson, S.W. Phillips, A.C. Lippincott and E.S. Hilderbrand,1972346469Preston, T.R. and R.A. Leng,2009Ravagnolo, O., I. Misztal and G. Hoogenboom,20008321202125Schalm, O.W., N.C. Jain and E.J. Carrol,19753rd Edn.,pp: 123-136pp: 123-136Soetan, K.O., A.S. Akinrinde and T.O. Ajibade,2013Sorghum bicolor).]]>2013pp: 1012Srikandakumar, A. and E.H. Johnson,200436685692Tadesse, M. and T. Dessie,20032003West, J.W.,20038621312144Yilma, Z., Y. Gojjam and M. Shumye,20062006SAS.,19956th Edn.,McDowell, L.R.,19761976pp: 216241