Temporal–Spatial Distribution of Risky Sites for Feeding Cattle in China Based on Temperature/Humidity Index
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript aims to perform a GIS-based risk assessment of regions in china for feeding cattle. To do this the THI of various weather stations were calculated and used to determine the probability of a herd facing heat stress in those areas.
The idea is interesting, but in my opinion, it is currently incomplete. The power of GIS is combining various spatially distributed data to do a more holistic evaluation. Utilizing only the THI is likely not enough to have a meaningful result unless it is validated with local data from producers. One example to improve the analysis would be to include heat-stress index that utilizes black-globe temperature to also include the effect of radiation on the heat-stress risk. Another would be to look at milk/beef production changes in the region over the past years and comparing if these developments match their risk factors or not. If available, they could also utilize production data or some other GIS data to compare or validate their risk assessment (e.g. is there data on breed selection based on region?).
There is also the issue of evaluating only the daily maximum values for their calculations. Average values and diurnal variation play an important role and may help differentiate between regions.
Are the heat stress levels in this study still relevant (1970)? The introduction shows examples of heat stress issues down at 68 THI and gives other examples of lower THI ranges having physiological responses from the animals.
|
Line |
Comment |
|
12-14 |
Are these sentences needed? Feels more like it belongs in the introduction not the abstract. |
|
26-27 |
I fail to see how this knowledge provides mitigation measures for the risk. Either be more explicit or remove the statement. |
|
48-52 |
Differentiate between physiological responses and behavioral responses |
|
55 |
Specify the THI equation used for this paragraph. |
|
78-80 |
Do not mention corona virus, I do not see how it relates to the study at all |
|
108 |
The way this sentence is written it sounds like you used the daily max temperature and daily max RH independent of each other which would generate an unrealistic THI. When the temperature is at its maximum, RH tends to be at a lower value. If it was done in this day, it should be corrected to calculate the THI and use daily maximum THI. Are the maximum values representative of heat stress for the day? Diurnal variations play an important role on the cow’s day to day performance. |
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
Respected Authors,
I have read your submission with high interest because heat stress is becoming of high importance in modern high intensity farming as part of climate change.
Therefore I was looking for any information of influence of climate change on performance of cattle.
Unfortunatelly, this information is totally missing in your paper. Slight information about general practise of farm management when under heat stress in discussion there is no scientificayy valid information about relationship between performance and THI as usual in scientific papers.
I really apreciate your work with GIS data and spatial analysis of THI but this is not enough. At least effect of climate change on forage performance would be beneficial, if relevant.
To agree with the topic of submission I would expect following:
more detailed information about cattle performances according the alttitude/ regions willbe essential to substantially increase value of your presentation.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
n/a
