Relationships between body temperature and performance traits in heat-stressed rats

Male Sprague Dawley rats (n=38) were allocated to thermoneutral, diurnal heat stress or constant heat stress treatments during pre-pubertal and post-pubertal ages. Analyses of internal body temperature and performance traits suggest animals respond differently in diurnal versus constant heat stress conditions. Greater fluctuations in average daily internal body temperature during diurnal heat stress may mediate partial recovery from heat stress, and hence, better performance than during constant heat stress. Correlation coefficients indicate early measures of internal body temperature can be used to gauge subsequent performance in similar environmental conditions.