The skin thickness of cattle in Northern Rhodesia

Abstract

The role of the skin of cattle in heat toleration has exercised many and has produced almost as manyopinions as workers. Brody (1945) pointed out that tropical cattle had a considerably larger surface area than the temperate breeds due to the looseness and folding of the skin. Bonsma, van Marle & Hofmeyr (1953) suggested on the basis of work on the Africander that a thick skin was necessary, presumably to repel the heat rays. Other workers have laid stress upon hair colour and thickness of coat, together with skin pigmentation. Worstell & Brody (1953) considered that cattle do not sweat, but Dowling (1955 a, b) found evidence that they did.