slugSeasonal and diurnal differences in the responses of Girolando cows to the thermal environment of Piauí, semiarid coast of Brazil
Journal Title: Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology - Year 2016, Vol 4, Issue 3
Abstract
The objective of this research was to evaluate the adaptive behavior of Girolando cows to the Piauí semiarid region. Breed data from 10 cows were used to study correlations between the physiological thermoregulatory characteristics and meteorological variables in the morning and afternoon shifts of the dry and rainy seasons of 2011 and 2012. The meteorological variables were: air temperature (TA), humidity (AU), globe temperature, and humidity index (BGT). The physiological responses of animals to the environment were: respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), sweating rate (SR), and heart rate (HR). Despite the significant differences in TA and AU (P<0.05) in the morning and afternoon shifts in the two considered stations, only FR showed a significant response to weather changes between shifts. TR and TS did not significantly differ between the shifts in either season (P>0.05). TA, in relation to shifts, had a high positive correlation (0.85), and this high correlation reflects the high temperatures reported, 7.07 and 7.58 °C, in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. Despite the significant daily weather variation, the responses obtained for the physiological variables of Girolando cows during lactation suggest a good adaptation of these animals to the climate of the semiarid Piauí.
Authors and Affiliations
Cicero Pereira Barros Junior ▪ Paulo Henrique Amaral Araújo de Sousa ▪ Amauri Felipe Evangelista ▪ Diego Helcias Cavalcante ▪ Thiago Duarte Barros ▪ Carlos Syllas Monteiro luz ▪ Wéverton José Lima Fonseca ▪ Laylson da Silva Borges ▪ Flora Suzane Parente Maia ▪ Marcos David Figueiredo de Carvalho ▪ Severino Cavalcante de Sousa Júnior
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