Quantitative analysis of the heat exchange through the fur layer of holstein calves

A traditional physiological approach to food and water requirements for animals was compared to a mechanistic model, an engineering approach. Heat loss predictions from a general fur heat transfer model that does not require standard physiological measurements were compared to indirect heat losses calorimetry measurements. The fur model assesses the simultaneous effects of environmental variables and fur structural properties. The model shows a prediction accuracy of better than +/- 10 percent of the measured values.