Heat Tolerance

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

Cold climates yield smaller animals. Hot climate...larger animals. It has to do with surface area and the release of heat. That is why neanderthals were smaller than their african cousins. Your deer example does not fit.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cold climates yield smaller animals. Hot climate...larger animals. It has to do with surface area and the release of heat. That is why neanderthals were smaller than their african cousins. Your deer example does not fit.

Just the opposite deer are much larger up north than our 100 pounders. Our cows have to be more moderate to handle the heat not larger.
Can't remember where I copied this from.
The following is a list of physical traits that distinguish Neanderthals from modern humans; however, not all of them can be used to distinguish specific Neanderthal populations, from various geographic areas or periods of evolution, from other extinct humans. Also, many of these traits occasionally manifest in modern humans, particularly among certain ethnic groups. Nothing is known about the skin color, the hair, or the shape of soft parts such as eyes, ears, and lips of Neanderthals.[10]

Compared to modern humans, Neanderthals were similar in height but with more robust bodies, and had distinct morphological features, especially of the cranium, which gradually accumulated more derived aspects, particularly in certain relatively isolated geographic regions. Evidence suggests that they were much stronger than modern humans;[citation needed] their relatively robust stature is thought to be an adaptation to the cold climate of Europe during the Pleistocene epoch.

 

[MikeC]

We have all sizes of Neaderthals living around here.

Short, Tall, Fat, and Skinny.

 

[OK Jeanne]

The responses keep coming, from different locales. How many responding actually see 110 degrees in the summer, regularly or go 30 plus days of 100 degrees? Thankfully we haven't this year. But when we do, the difference is obvious. Have you ever had panting cows stand and allow water to be poured on their backs?

We were over 100 regularly last year in our drought.
As I recall it was 111F the day before some visitors
came here from Wisconsin--they found it hard to believe.
Our Murrays did fine---the angus had a harder time and
spent more time in the shade. It was a tough summer---
very much like the ones in the late 90s. 2004 was a great
summer for forage, as is this year---quite memorable; i.e.
we had better memorize this year 'cause it can't get any
better regarding moisture.

 

[Brandonm2]

Cold climates yield smaller animals. Hot climate...larger animals. It has to do with surface area and the release of heat. That is why neanderthals were smaller than their african cousins. Your deer example does not fit.

Neanderthals (Home sapiens Neanderthalensis are shorter than Homo sapiens sapiens (US); but much stronger, heavier built.

According to this link:
They were 5'6".....which given a caveman's diet I bet probably wasn't any shorter than their modern man counterparts of the time; but Neanderthal is BIGGER in weight....~200 pounds of heavy bone and muscle.

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsi ... _like.html

It is the slighter, lighter species that survived.

 

[Brute 23]

I was up at a ranch in Waco, Tx talking to a man about some Black Angus heifers. He was telling me how they do just fine in the heat and stuff and that all that stuff you here about Angus not taking the heat is BS.

We went out in his pastures around noon and all his cows were up in shade trees or if they had access to tanks they were under water just showing their heads.

I asked him about it and his reply was that its the solid black color not the Angus. I smiled and went on my way feeling like he was trying to sell me something that I did not want.

Our Black Brangus will graze all day down here. They might get in the trees around 3 or 4 in the evening... but only for a couple hours on hot days.

Being sloid black will have a little effect but not that much like the Waco man was making out.

Its good to have that Brahman in them down here. Brahman Beefmaster crosses have been good to us also... but the straight breeds don't take the heat as well and down here you dont' get docked for it.

 

[Tod Dague]

I did my own un-scientific scientific research a few years back and counted respirations mid-day in the heat of the summer on my small herd. The cows with the lower number of respirations were the slick haired cattle which also happened to be the lighter colored animals.

I think that color is a factor but coat type plays a bigger role for bos taurus. IMO Brahma and Brahma crosses on the maternal side work best when heat tolerance and performance is the goal.

 

[r and s peckman]

Hey CB when it gets to cold up here during hunting, we just roll up the window.

 

[BAGTIC]

Neanderthals were NOT humans. DNA tests have shown that they were a distinct species and had a different chromosome count than humans just as asses differ from horses and cattle differ from bison.

 

[mind235]

I just wish I could figure out how to tolerate the heat myself the cattle have no problem while I sweat down to my toes. Maye I can learn somethng from them.

Kind of crazy moved from NC where was terrible hot and hunid and really stressed all live stock to western ,ny where heat is not normally a problem but whats up with these 90 degree days.