International Journal of Biometeorology

June 1976, Volume 20, Issue 2, pp 139-156

The signifiance of meteorology in animal
production
W. Biana
Abstract
!"e pro#ution of meat$ mil% an# eggs is "ig"est an# ours at a ma&imal effiieny if t"e meteorologial
elements are 'it"in a ertain range ()one of in#ifferene*. +utsi#e t"is range t"e animal "as to om,at
meteorologial stress. !"is re-uires e&tra energy$ so t"at less energy is a.aila,le for pro#uti.e proesses. It is
t"erefore important to fin# out at '"i" le.els t"e .arious meteorologial elements ,eome stressful to t"e
animal organism. !"is stu#y "as to ta%e into onsi#eration t"e #i.ersity of #omesti animals$ ,ot" 'it" regar# to
strutural features an# funtional traits. /esponses of .arious ategories of #omesti animals to t"e follo'ing
potentially stress pro#uing meteorologial on#itions are ,riefly re.ie'e#0 ol#$ "eat$ solar ra#iation$ "ig"
altitu#e an#in#oor en.ironment. 1no'le#ge so #eri.e# an ,e applie# eit"er ,y a#apting t"e animal to t"e
en.ironment ,y ,ree#ing an# seletion$ or ,y a#apting t"e en.ironment to t"e animal ,y te"nial an#
managerial means. 2ome suggestions are ma#e for future onsi#erations in t"e fiel# of ,iometeorology of
#omesti animals.