Minimal erythema dose determination in Holstein Friesian cattle

Hodnik, Jaka Jakob (author), Jankovec, Marko (author), Ježek, Jožica (author), Krušič, Žiga (author), Mitterhofer, Stefan (author), Starič, Jože (author)

Cattle on pasture are continuously exposed to solar UV radiation, which has been associated with biological effects such as sunburn, photosensitization, squamous cell carcinoma, and cutaneous vitamin D$_3$ production. The minimal erythema dose (MED) required to produce first-degree sunburn (erythema) is poorly researched in cattle. Since cattle are naturally covered with dense hair coats, the MED is influenced by the UV protection offered by the hair. The objective of this study was to determine the MED on intact-hair-covered (MED-H) and shaved white skin (MED-S) of Holstein Friesian cattle. Twenty-one Holstein Friesian cows and heifers were MED tested using a narrowband UV-B LED light (peak irradiance at 292 nm) on eight hair-covered and eight shaved areas over white skin previously unexposed to direct sunlight. Erythema was visually assessed after 24 h. The mean MED-H and MED-S were 5,595 and 329 J/m$^2$, respectively. Heifers had a higher MED-H compared to cows, 7,600 and 4,969 J/m$^2$, respectively. The mean UV transmittance of white cattle hair was 6.7%. MED-H was correlated with hair length (Spearman’s rho = 0.76). A linear regression model showed that each millimeter of hair coat length increased the MED-H by 316 J/m$^2$. In conclusion, this study provides a MED testing protocol for cattle and reports standardized values of MED for cattle on intact-hair-covered and shaved areas.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cow, ultraviolet rays, sunburn, phototesting, hair coat, cattle diseases, cattle
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty; FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 7 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 8, art. 757452
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-132782
• UDC: 636.2.09:616
• ISSN on article: 2297-1769
• DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.757452
• COBISS.SI-ID: 83093763
• Publication date in RUL: 03.11.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Frontiers in veterinary science
• Shortened title: Front. vet. sci.
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• ISSN: 2297-1769
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3969402

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Funding programme: Young researchers

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0092
• Name: Zdravje živali, okolje in varna hrana