Microclimate and pasture area preferences by dairy cows under high biodiversity silvopastoral system in Southern Brazil

• Published in: International journal of biometeorology 2020-11, Vol.64 (11), p.1877-1887
• Main Authors: Deniz, Matheus, Schmitt Filho, Abdon L., Hötzel, Maria J., de Sousa, Karolini T., Pinheiro Machado Filho, Luiz C., Sinisgalli, Paulo A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air temperature; Animal Physiology; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Biodiversity; Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Brazil; Cattle; Dairy cattle; Diurnal; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Evaluation; Female; Grazing; Humidity; Illuminance; Lactation; Meteorology; Microclimate; Nuclei; Original Paper; Pasture; Plant Physiology; Relative humidity; Rumination; Soil surface temperatures; Soil surfaces; Soil temperature; Soils; Subtropical climates; Surface temperature; Temperature; Wind speed
• ISSN: 0020-7128; 1432-1254
• DOI: 10.1007/s00484-020-01975-0

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of microclimate on dairy cows’ behaviors and their preferences for different pasture areas under high biodiversity silvopastoral system (SPSnuclei) in a subtropical climate. We surveyed three different pasture areas under SPSnuclei: shaded area around the nuclei (SAN), unshaded area around the nuclei (UAN), and all-day sunny area distant from the nuclei (SDN). In each area, the microclimatic variables were measured—air temperature (°C), relative humidity (%), illuminance (lux), wind speed (m/s), and soil surface temperature (°C). In addition, the diurnal behaviors of 39 Jersey dairy cows were evaluated. Grazing, standing rest, lying rest, standing rumination, and lying rumination were registered by scans every 10 min; drinking water was observed continuously. Microclimate differed ( p