Silvopastoral Systems Contribute to Water Buffalo Welfare and Normal Behavior Pattern Under Eastern Amazon Conditions

Núbia De Fátima Alves Dos Santos,Jamile Andréa Rodrigues Da Silva,Alexandre Rossetto Garcia,Andréia Santana Bezerra,Airton Alencar De Araújo,José De Brito Lourenço Júnior,Benjamim De Souza Nahúm,Rinaldo Batista Viana

doi:10.5296/jas.v9i2.18022

Abstract

This research aimed to study the behavior of female Murrah buffaloes in a silvopastoral system. The trial was carried out at Embrapa Eastern Amazon, under Afi climate according to the Köppen classification, between August and November 2009, during the less rainy season. Three different periods of the day were considered during activity evaluation: morning period – between 6:00 AM and 9:55 AM; intermediary period – between 10:00 AM and 1:55 PM; and afternoon period – between 2:00 PM and 5:55 PM. The animals were maintained in a silvopastoral system (SPS) (ST; n=10) with shade from Racosperma mangium. The meteorological variables of temperature and relative air humidity were measured, as well as the following animal behavior variables: time grazing, ruminating and idling, time standing and lying, and time in shaded and non-shaded areas. These variables were compared by T test (P<0.05). Air temperatures were higher in the non-shaded area of the SPS. All activities were reduced in the intermediary period, except idling. The grazing and rumination times in the morning were longer in non-shaded areas, while the time idling standing was longer during the intermediary period in shaded areas as a way of avoiding the harmful effects of the intense solar radiation and high air temperatures of the Amazonian humid climate. Hence, SPSs may contribute to animal welfare and increase their productive behavior.

Highlights

Cattle adaptation to the climate and management conditions prevailing in tropical regions represents one of the greatest barriers for herd productivity, including in some regions of Brazil
The grazing and rumination times in the morning were longer in non-shaded areas, while the time idling standing was longer during the intermediary period in shaded areas as a way of avoiding the harmful effects of the
The air temperature in the shaded area was lower along the day (P

Summary

Introduction

Cattle adaptation to the climate and management conditions prevailing in tropical regions represents one of the greatest barriers for herd productivity, including in some regions of Brazil. Minimizing the harmful effect of the climate on animals in tropical and subtropical countries has been a constant concern in order to decrease the harmful action of the climate variables deemed responsible for thermal stress (Pezzopane et al, 2019; Marai and Haeeb, 2010). Such discomfort may be mitigated by management programs that lead the animals to cool down through shading, installation of fans and nebulizers, or the use of natural resources and appropriate facilities to reduce thermal stress (Giro et al, 2019; Parola et al, 2012). Silvopastoral systems (SPS) are a modality of agroforestry systems with animals, forage plants, and trees in the same area that could be adopted to provide thermal comfort for animals through the shade provided by trees

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