Effects of solar radiation on the behavior of Holstein cows in a tropical enviroment.

• Grant number: 11/16696-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Ecology of Domestic Animals and Ethology
• Principal Investigator: Alex Sandro Campos Maia
• Grantee: Steffan Edward Octavio Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/04351-2 - Effect of solar radiation on the behavior of Holstein cows in a tropical environment, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges of the dairy cattle systems concerns to the negative effects of heat stress caused by solar radiation added with wear from lactation, when exist great metabolic heat production. The studies that evaluate the effects of solar radiation do not offer any consistent results for don't quantify precisely what the solar radiation levels tolerated and how it makes behavioral alterations. These studies disregard the importance of measure the levels of solar radiation in its evaluations or are carried under artificial conditions on the inner of climate chambers. However, the natural environment is quite complex and there the solar radiation modify continually and may cause significant alterations on behavior and, consequently, on performance. Thus, the goal of this study is to quantify the solar radiation levels tolerated by dry and lactating cows and evaluate its effects on behavior (grazing time, use of shade, posture, rumination, leisure). In order that that, will be used ten Holstein cows dry and lactating. The behavioral registration will be conducted from 06:00 to 18:00 h in intervals of fifteen minutes while whole experimental period. The solar radiation short waves will be measured with a pyranometer Kipp Zonen, model CMP-22. Finally, we remember that because of the inexistence of research on Brazil with this purpose we hope specify solar radiation levels tolerated by lactating and dry cows and its behavioral responses, in order to suggest a more efficient management.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

OLIVEIRA, Steffan Edward Octavio. Efeito da radiação solar no comportamento de vacas holandesas em ambiente tropical. 2013. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal Jaboticabal.