Abstract

HERNANDEZ, A. et al. Temperature-humidity index (THI) 1917-2008 and future scenarios of livestock comfort in Veracruz, México. Atmósfera [online]. 2011, vol.24, n.1, pp.89-102. ISSN 0187-6236.

Results of the analysis of combined temperature (°C) and relative humidity (RH) data are presented in order to obtain the temperature-humidity index (THI) in livestock for the region of Veracruz, México, in order to make climate comparisons in different study periods (1917-1960, 1961-1990, 1991-2008), as well as future scenarios for 2020, 2050 and 2080. The results indicate that the possibilities for animal comfort are scarce. For the past periods a growing THI has been found: 83, 85 and 86, respectively, considering the maximum temperatures for the month of May. For the future, the obtained THI were obtained from IPCC emissions scenarios A2 and B2 for the GFDL 2020 (80.87), 2050 (81.58), 2080 (82.82); ECHAM 2020 (81.27), 2050 (82.74), 2080 (83.95) and PRECIS HADCM2 2020 (81.24), 2050 (82.65), 2080 (83.95) models, whose results are in the category of dangerous.

Keywords : THI; climate change; livestock comfort; animal heat stress.

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