The specific enthalpy of air as an indicator of heat stress in livestock animals.

Along with recognition of environmental effects on the performance and welfare of livestock animals, studies have been proposing new methodologies and parameters to diagnose the heat stress of animals through the physical properties of air. This article aims to present the state-of-the-art on the use of the specific enthalpy of air as an indicator of heat stress in livestock animals. As a starting point, conceptual considerations were made about the connection between homoeothermic animals and the environment. Variables for heat stress evaluation based on psychrometric air properties are then described, including dry bulb temperature and relative humidity, which are often used microclimate variables, and the specific enthalpy of dry air, which acts as a thermal comfort index. Final considerations highlight the recent history of the use of specific enthalpy of air equations as indicators of heat stress in livestock animals, with the intention of better understanding the relationship between animals and the environment. As a conclusion, the specific enthalpy of air is recommended as an indicator in the assessment of livestock housing conditions as, unlike other indices, it is based on thermodynamic air properties and not on linear regressions.