Thermal comfort of Nelore (Bos indicus) and Canchim (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) bulls kept in an integrated crop-livestock-forestry system in a tropical climate

CONTEXT Climate change presents challenges for livestock productivity and animal health. Thus, management strategies to mitigate the effects of the global temperature increase on livestock production have become progressively relevant. However, the use of integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems t...

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Published in:Agricultural systems 2023-06, Vol.209, p.103687, Article 103687
Main Authors: Romanello, Narian, Barreto, Andréa do Nascimento, Sousa, Marco Antonio Paula de, Balieiro, Júlio Cesar de Carvalho, Brandão, Felipe Zandonadi, Tonato, Felipe, Bernardi, Alberto Carlos de Campos, Pezzopane, José Ricardo Macedo, Portugal, José Alberto Bastos, Garcia, Alexandre Rossetto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
air temperature
animal health
Animal welfare
beef cattle
body temperature
Brazil
climate change
cortisol
humidity
Infrared thermography
Integrated systems
livestock production
livestock productivity
microclimate
Nellore
pastures
respiratory rate
secretion
Sustainability
Thermoregulation
triiodothyronine
Tropical agriculture
tropics
zebu
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Summary:CONTEXT Climate change presents challenges for livestock productivity and animal health. Thus, management strategies to mitigate the effects of the global temperature increase on livestock production have become progressively relevant. However, the use of integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems to optimize the beef cattle thermal balance has not been examined more deeply. The study aimed to evaluate the microclimate in a non-shaded pasture system (NS) and in an integrated crop-livestock-forestry system (ICLF) and its influence on thermoregulatory and endocrine responses of zebu and composite bulls, during different climatic seasons. The experiment was carried out in a tropical region, São Carlos-SP, Brazil (21°57′42″S, 47°50′28″W). Nelore (Bos indicus) and Canchim (5/8 Bos taurus x 3/8 Bos indicus) bulls were equally allocated in a non-shaded system (NS; n = 32) or in an integrated crop-livestock-forestry system (ICLF; n = 32). The animals were monthly evaluated and the data were analyzed using a GLM Model. Means were compared using Tukey test (P 
ISSN:0308-521X
1873-2267
DOI:10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103687