Sustained heat stress elevated corneal and body surface temperatures and altered circulating leukocytes and metabolic indicators in wether lambs supplemented with ractopamine or zilpaterol

Understanding how β adrenergic agonists influence the physiology of heat stress could lead to mitigation options. We sought to investigate body surface temperatures in feedlot wethers supplemented with ractopamine or zilpaterol and exposed to heat stress for 18 d. Corneal and skin temperatures were assessed via infrared thermography at 1- and 2-m distances. Rectal temperatures and circulating leukocytes, metabolites, and electrolytes were also measured. Heat stress increased (P < 0.05) rectal temperatures in unsupplemented and zilpaterol-supplemented lambs but not in ractopamine-supplemented lambs. Heat stress also increased (P < 0.05) surface temperatures of the cornea, nose, ear, and back, regardless of supplement. Observations were comparable between thermography performed at 1 and 2 m, and higher emissivity settings generally produced less variation. Heat stress tended to increase (P = 0.08) blood monocytes in unsupplemented but not ractopamine- or zilpaterol-supplemented lambs. Granulocytes were increased (P < 0.05) by heat stress in ractopamine-supplemented lambs but decreased (P < 0.05) in zilpaterol-supplemented lambs. Blood glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol did not differ among groups, and blood lactate was reduced (P < 0.05) by heat stress in zilpaterol-supplemented lambs only. Blood Na+ was reduced (P < 0.05) and Ca2+ increased (P < 0.05) by heat stress, regardless of supplement. These findings indicate that β1- and β2-adrenergic agonists differentially relieve some but not all heat stress-induced changes in stress indicators. Moreover, corneal and skin surface temperatures measured by infrared thermography reasonably identified body temperature changes at a distance of 2 m.