Study of management of cattle to improve the animal performance

• Grant number: 12/18345-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: June 10, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Ecology of Domestic Animals and Ethology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Lucia Pereira Lima
• Grantee: Maria Lucia Pereira Lima
• Host Investigator: Temple Grandin
• Host Institution: APTA Regional. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Colorado State University, United States

Abstract

The animal welfare focused in the ethics and good management conditions, that can lead to improve performance and increased profit, has been widely discussed in academic environments in various parts of the world, but not so much has been implemented on the environment of production. A few researches has been undertaken to assess the welfare and impact on performance in American feedlot calves, in the beginning of feedlot process. The book "Improving Animal Welfare - A Practical Approach", edited by Temple Grandin, is focused on management and it is a guide in order to conduct some welfare in farm animals, being written specifically for the production environment in the United States, but the knowledge can be adapted to Brazilian conditions. This project has a main purpose, to develop a research to evaluate performance of calves in feedlot. It will be studied the practices to welfare, the weight gain of the animals, according to racial type. Is included as secondary proposal, which is to discuss and adapt the knowledge explained in the book and to adapt for Brazilians conditions. The project will be developed at Colorado State University during five months. (AU)