Bioclimatic diagnosis for dairy cattle breeding in João Pessoa, Brazil
Medeiros, Patrícia Venâncio da SilvaFurtado, Fabrício MacêdoMedeiros, Matheus Serrano deBrandão Júnior, José Ronaldo
One of the environmental elements that have a more pronounced effect on animal welfare is the climate, and as a result, negatively impacts productive performance and is considered a regulating or even restrictive element of animal exploitation for economic purposes. The ambient temperature range within which the animal maintains body temperature without the need for activation of thermoregulatory mechanisms is called the thermal comfort zone (TCZ), where the thermal equilibrium occurs naturally. The TCZ varies among the different species of domestic animals, where the minimum and maximum values of this range are influenced by the climate elements. Thus, within the animal bioclimatology, the environmental diagnosis can be highlighted that allows support regarding the information of variation and ideal environmental conditions for animal exploration, as well as, help in management measures that minimize the effect of the thermal challenge and enable the maximization of productivity animal. This research aimed to carry out the environmental diagnosis for dairy cattle in the municipality of João Pessoa, Brazil, based on average, maximum and minimum temperatures, BGHI and relative humidity. According to the results, both dairy cows and calves have thermal discomfort caused by high temperatures. As away to reduce heat stress, it is necessary for some environmental modifications that aim to mitigate the stressors actions on the animals. According to our analysis, the bioclimatic diagnosis for João Pessoa presents a need for improvement of the facilities to provide the animals with thermal comfort, thus making it possible for these animals to present a higher production yield.(AU)
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