Infrared thermography in animal production: An overview

• Infrared thermography applications in animal production systems.
• Infrared thermography is a useful tool as index physiologic changing in animals.
• Infrared thermography is a noninvasive remote sensing method.
• Limitations and factors that must be considered when using infrared thermography.

Infrared thermography technology is a noninvasive method that has been used to indicate thermal biometric changes in animal metabolism resulting from increased body temperature and changes in blood flow in response to environmental or physiological conditions. Thus, this technology can be a useful tool and general stress indicator as well as indicate inflammatory processes, pain and disease. Therefore, this manuscript aims to review the use of this technology in animal production, addressing aspects of heat and physiological stress, metabolism, nutrition, inflammatory processes, diseases, ectoparasite detection and reproduction.