FLOT.327 Final Report

final reportp Project code: FLOT.327 Prepared by: Mr Tim Byrne, Dr Simon Lott, Mr Peter Binns, Dr John Gaughan, Mrs Christine Killip, Mr Frank Quintarelli, Ms Natalie Leishman E.A. Systems Pty Limited, The University of Queensland, Katestone Environmental Pty Limited Date published: February 2005 ISBN: 9781741917529 PUBLISHED BY Meat & Livestock Australia Limited Locked Bag 991 NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059 Reducing the Risk of Heat Load for the Australian Feedlot Industry Meat & Livestock Australia acknowledges the matching funds provided by the Australian Government to support the research and development detailed in this publication. This publication is published by Meat & Livestock Australia Limited ABN 39 081 678 364 (MLA). Care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However MLA cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained in the publication. You should make your own enquiries before making decisions concerning your interests. Reproduction in whole or in part of this publication is prohibited without prior written consent of MLA. Page 1 of 69 pages Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................4 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................5 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................6 1.1 Industry Context..............................................................................................................................6 1.2 Project Background.........................................................................................................................6 1.3 Project Objectives ...........................................................................................................................7 2. Methodology......................................................................................................................................9 2.1 Work Area 1 – Refinement of the Heat Load Index........................................................................9 2.1.1 Data Collection Methods .........................................................................................................9 2.1.2 Datasets Collected.................................................................................................................11 2.1.3 Statistical Methods.................................................................................................................12 2.2 Work Area 2 – Risk Assessment Program Software ....................................................................12 2.2.1 Climate Data Collection .........................................................................................................12 2.2.2 Suitable BOM Sites................................................................................................................13 2.2.3 Quantifying the Effects of Individual Feedlot Management Strategies..................................17 2.2.4 Development of the Risk Assessment Software ...................................................................17 2.2.5 Calculation of relative humidity and solar radiation ...............................................................18 2.2.6 Extrapolation of wind speed from 10 m to 2 m ......................................................................18 2.2.7 Black Globe Temperature......................................................................................................19 3. Results .............................................................................................................................................20 3.1 Work Area 1 – Refinement Of The Heat Load Index....................................................................20 3.1.1 Climatic Variables of Interest.................................................................................................20 3.2 Work Area 2 – Risk Assessment Program Software ....................................................................23 3.2.1 Accumulated Heat Load Unit Calculations ............................................................................23 3.2.2 Calculation of site statistics ...................................................................................................23 3.2.3 Feedlot Management Factors................................................................................................23 4. Discussion .......................................................................................................................................25 4.1 Work Area 1 – Refinement Of The Heat Load Index....................................................................25 4.1.1 Refinement of the Heat Load Index.......................................................................................25 4.1.2 Accumulated Heat Load Units and Heat Load Thresholds ...................................................28 4.2 Work Area 2 – Risk Assessment Program Software ....................................................................33 4.2.1 Individual Feedlot Management Factors ...............................................................................33 4.2.2 Program Software..................................................................................................................33 5. Conclusions.....................................................................................................................................39 5.1 Effectiveness of New Heat Load Indices ......................................................................................39 5.2 Risk Assessment Program Software ............................................................................................39 6. Recommendations..........................................................................................................................40 6.1 Further Research..........................................................................................................................40 6.2 Practical recommendations for industry........................................................................................40 7. References.......................................................................................................................................41 8. Appendices......................................................................................................................................42 Page 2 of 69 pages List of Tables Table 1. Panting score system used during data collection.................................................................9 Table 2. Suitable AWS sites (Hourly data).........................................................................................13 Table 3. Suitable AWS sites (3-hourly data) ......................................................................................14 Table 4. Meteorological monitoring sites for Queensland used in the RAP software........................15 Table 5. Meteorological monitoring sites for South Australia used in the RAP software...................16 Table 6. Meteorological monitoring sites for Victoria used in RAP ....................................................16 Table 7. Meteorological monitoring sites for New South Wales used in RAP ...................................16 Table 8. Meteorological monitoring sites for Western Australia used in RAP....................................17 Table 9. The relative effects of the feedlot management factors included in the RAP software on the upper HLI threshold...................................................................................................24 Table 10. An example of the calculations required to formulate the AHLU measure ..........................29 List of Figures Figure 1. Panting score reference photos used during data collection ...............................................11 Figure 2. Location of feedlots (brown symbols) and monitoring sites (yellow crosses) ......................13 Figure 3. Climatic data from a high heat load event at an Australian feedlot (Feedlot B from FLOT.310) ............................................................................................................................21 Figure 4. Climatic data from a high heat load event at an Australian feedlot in Southern New South Wales....................................................................................................................................22 Figure 5. Climatic data from a high heat load event at an Australian feedlot, including the new HLI (Feedlot B from FLOT.310) ..................................................................................................26 Figure 6. Climatic data from a high heat load event at an Australian feedlot in Southern New South Wales, including the new Heat Load Index..........................................................................27 Figure 7. The HLI, HLI Balance and AHLU calculated from the same dataset shown in Figures 3 and 4............................................................................................................................................30 Figure 8. The HLI, HLI Balance and AHLU calculated from the same dataset shown in Figures 3 and 4............................................................................................................................................31

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