Methane emissions (CH4) enteric associated with physiological responses of Holstein cows under different management systems

• Grant number: 16/11810-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2016
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Ecology of Domestic Animals and Ethology
• Principal Investigator: Alex Sandro Campos Maia
• Grantee: Patric André Castro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study the methane emission and thermoregulation of Holstein cows under different handling systems during 24 hous. For this, the work will be developed using the animals of São Paulo State University, at Jaboticabal Campus. Initially, it will use 16 multiparous females that will be subject to 15 days of conditioning for adapted to experimental conditions and equipment. After, these animals will be subject to two preliminary experiments to select 12 cows that had better adapt to the experimental conditions. These selected animals will be the experimental units, which will be applied two handling systems: Pasture without water sprinkling (PSA) and Shade with rational water sprinkling (SRA). To study the effects of these two handling systems on methane emission and physiological parameters during 24 hour, will be developed an experiment with a latin square experimental design (12x12), with 12 animals during 12 days and 12 class of hour, from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., which animal will be observed during one hour per day. In the end of this experiment, each animal will be passing in all class of hour. To complete the 24 hours of experiment, the latin square will be replicated at night period, using the same animals, however in different days. During the data collection will be measured the respiratory gases (Oxygen, O2; carbon dioxide, CO2; water vapor and methane, CH4); respiratory functions, tidal volume (VRC, L resp-1) and respiratory rate (FR, respiratory min-1); temperatures skin, hair coat (TS, °C), rectal (TR, °C) and expired air temperatures (Tech, °C) and meteorological variables, air temperature (TA, °C), partial vapor pressure (PV, KPa), solar radiation (RS, w.m-2), air speed (Vv, m.s-1), mean radiant temperature (TRM, K). (AU)

Academic Publications

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

CASTRO, Patric André. Effect of the radiant thermal environment on physiological responses of Holstein cows in tropical environment. 2018. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal Jaboticabal.