Seasonality effect on the physiological and productive responses of crossbred dairy cows to the equatorial Amazon climate

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the seasonal effect of months of the year upon the physiological and productive responses of crossbred dairy cows raised in an Amazonian climate. Twenty lactating cows were evaluated, fed on Brachiaria decumbens pasture, with free access to water and mineral supplementation. Data from climate variables air temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), rainfall (RA) and temperature and humidity index (THI) were recorded dur
ing the months of January to April 2019. The physiological data collected were: respiratory rate (RR, mov/min), heart rate (HR, beats/min), rectal temperature (RT, ºC), udder surface temperature (UST, ºC), body surface temperature (BST, ºC), dorsum surface temperature (DST, ºC), front surface temperature (FST, ºC) and rear shin temperature (RST). Milk production (MP) was also measured. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) of RST and RR with values ranging from 34.8 to 35.5°C and 32.0 to 36.2 mov/min, respectively. There were no significant difference (P>0.05) for BST, and the values for MP and THI were 3.8; 3.8; 4.6; 4.1 kg and 77.7; 79.7; 80.6; 80.1, respectively. It was concluded that there was a seasonal effect of the months of the year evaluated on the respiratory rate of animals, however, it did not change the MP and the THI. The Amazon environment is conducive to causing thermal stress in lactating cows raised on pasture, requiring the use of shading to facilitate the ability of these animals to dissipate heat.
Keywords: animal performance; thermal stress; milking; room temperature

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Author Biographies

Clebson Lucas de Souza , Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Acre (IFAC), Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil

Especialista em Gestão Ambiental, pelo Centro Universitário da Grande Dourados-MS. Atualmente é docente de Agronegócio, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Acre- IFAC Campus Sena Madureira, Acre, Brasil.

Guilherme Rocha Moreira , Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil

Agrônomo, Dr. em Zootecnia - UFMG, Especialista em Gestão de Políticas Públicas - UFRPE, Engenheiro Agrônomo - UESB. Atualmente é professor Associado do Departamento de Estatística e Informática da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco.

Eduardo Mitke Brandão Reis, Universidade Federal do Acre (UFAC), Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil.

Médico Veterinário, Dr., em Ciências Veterinárias. Docente do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sanidade e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal do Acre - UFAC, Rio Branco - Acre, Brasil.

Adriano Melo de Queiroz, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Acre (IFAC), Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil

Agrônomo. Mestre em Ciência animal pela Universidade Federal do Acre. É especialista em Agronegócios e Biotecnologias pelo Centro Universitário Internacional - UNINTER, e em Tecnologia de Alimentos pela Universidade Estácio de Sá. Atualmente é Professor do Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Acre- IFAC.

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Published

2023-02-02

How to Cite

DA COSTA, D. A.; MOREIRA DOS SANTOS , V.; DOMINGOS DE OLIVEIRA, A. V.; LUCAS DE SOUZA , C.; ROCHA MOREIRA , G.; LAURINDO ROSA , B.; MITKE BRANDÃO REIS, E.; MELO DE QUEIROZ, A. Seasonality effect on the physiological and productive responses of crossbred dairy cows to the equatorial Amazon climate. Brazilian Animal Science/ Ciência Animal Brasileira, Goiânia, v. 24, 2023. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/73559. Acesso em: 27 jul. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 24 (2023): Continuous publication

Section

ZOOTECNIA

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Copyright (c) 2023 Brazilian Animal Science/ Ciência Animal Brasileira

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