Vaginal temperature modeling in Holstein cows and cluster analysis by the cophenetic correlation coefficient.

The objective was to establish a model for the prediction and characterization of vaginal temperature in Holstein cows, based on environmental predictors and thermal comfort indices, through cluster analysis, validation by the cophenetic correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. The micrometeorological characterization of the site was carried out by recording the air temperature (Tair), the relative humidity (RH), the black globe temperature (BGT), the black globe temperature and humidity (BGHI), and dew point temperature (TDP). The recording of vaginal temperature (Tv) was performed in eight dairy cows using temperature sensors, equipped with data loggers, coupled with intravaginal devices. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and cluster analysis (CA) by using the hierarchical agglomerative method based on the value of the cophenetic correlation coefficient (CCC >0.70), in which representative physiological models were established, characterizing the Tv through multiple regression. In the afternoon the coefficient of variation (CV) was low for all variables, indicating homogeneity of the meteorological variables and efficiency of the ventilation system. The temperature and humidity index (THI) was mild only on the morning. There was a variation of 0.28 °C of Tv between shifts, sufficient to characterize the condition of comfort and stress of the animal, with values above 39 °C indicating animal stress. Tv showed strong correlation with BGT, Tair, TDP and RH, assuming that physiological variables, such as Tv, tend to have greater relationship with abiotic variables. Empirical models were established for estimating Tv based on the analyses performed in this study. Model 1 is recommended for TDP ranges of 14.00-21.00 °C and RH of 30-100%, while model 2 can be used for Tair situations up to 35 °C. The regression models for estimating Tv are promising for characterizing the thermal comfort of dairy cows housed in compost barn systems.

Effect of distance and daily periods on heat-stressed pigs and pre-slaughter losses in a semiarid region.

Effective planning animal transport is essential to safeguard animal welfare and reduce production losses. Environmental conditions, specifically extreme temperatures in combination with ranges of relative humidity are highlighted as one of the main risk factors for production losses during transport (e.g., fatalities). The majority of research evaluating both welfare and production impacts of pig transport have been primarily undertaken in Europe and North America, which cover a relatively limited range of distinct climates (e.g., temperate, sub-arctic, etc.). As a result, research on pig transport in semi-arid conditions is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the effects of both distance (short, 30 km; and long, 170 km) and transport daily periods (morning, (05:00-11:00); afternoon (12:00-17:00); and night, (23:00-04:00)) on the preslaughter losses and heat stress of pigs in commercial transport in a semiarid region. Across 19 journeys of standard slaughter-weight pig loads (124.0 ± 2.8 kg), 684 focal animals (36 per journey) were evaluated. For each journey, the load's thermal profile (THIadj and enthalpy) and physiological responses of individual pigs were recorded. On arrival at designated slaughterhouses, the percentage pig of non-ambulatory non-injured (NANI), non-ambulatory injured (NAI), death on arrival (DOA), and total losses were recorded. Short journeys in the afternoon were shown to be more detrimental to the thermal comfort of pigs, with higher rectal temperatures recorded. The highest percentage of total losses and DOA occurred in afternoon journeys, irrespective of distance, followed by the morning, with the lowest losses observed in pigs transported at night. Additionally, total losses and DOA were further exacerbated by journey distance, with higher rates observed in short journeys. Higher percentage averages of NANI and NAI were observed in shorter journeys, but daily periods effects were only observed for NANI. These results further demonstrate the welfare and production loss risks associated with journey distance and time of day (representing varying environmental conditions) during road transport of pigs, whilst providing novel data in semiarid conditions. Careful and effective planning for pig transportation is essential to minimize heat stress and production losses. Consideration of the thermal environment on the day of travel, as well as providing flexibility to adjust travel times (e.g., early morning or evening), should help to mitigate risks of heat stress and production losses during pig transport.

Microclimate and animal thermal comfort indexes in different silvopastoral system arrangements in Caatinga.

The objective was to evaluate the microclimate and animal thermal comfort indexes in silvopastoral system in the Brazilian semiarid region with different woody cover levels within Caatinga trees. The experiment was carried out at the Teaching, Research and Extension Unit of the Federal Institute of Science and Technology of Ceará, Campus Limoeiro do Norte, in Chapada do Apodi, CE, in 2018. The treatments were forage grown under woody cover of 46.15% (SS46), forage grown under woody cover of 30.00% (SS30), and forage grown under woody cover of 17.64% (SS18). The evaluations were carried out during three consecutive days, in the vegetative, transition, and dormancy periods at 6 a.m.; 10 a.m.; 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.. First, the microclimate variables, relative air humidity (%), wind speed (m s-1), dry bulb temperature (°C), wet bulb temperature (°C), black globe temperature (°C), and dew point temperature (°C), were obtained for subsequent calculation of black globe temperature and humidity index and radiant thermal load (W m-2). SS46, SS30, and SS18 systems had no differences of black globe temperature and humidity index and radiant thermal load in the sun. There were significant reductions in black globe temperature and humidity index and radiant thermal load within the trees promoting improvement in the thermal environment at times of higher radiation load. The trees promoted better conditions of animal thermal comfort in all silvopastoral arrangements and periods of the year.

Telas agrícolas como subcobertura no cultivo de alface hidropônica / Agricultural nets as undercover in hydroponic cultivation of lettuce

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes tipos de telas de sombreamento utilizadas como subcobertura no cultivo hidropônico de alface. Para isso, foi conduzido um experimento em estufas cobertas com filme plástico de 150µm com três tipos de subcobertura: tela termorrefletora, preta, vermelha e um ambiente controle sem o uso de tela. Para avaliar a modificação ambiental ocasionada pelos tratamentos, foram instalados em cada estufa e no ambiente externo um termohigrômetro data logger, que registrou a temperatura a cada 15 minutos do dia 18/05/2011 ao dia 14/06/2011. Posteriormente, foram calculados os graus-dia acumulados em cada ambiente. Para analisar as variações de crescimento das plantas nas diferentes condições de cultivo, foram realizadas cinco coletas ao longo do período experimental. Após a coleta das plantas, elas eram levadas ao laboratório para contagem do número de folhas maiores que 10cm de comprimento e para a determinação do índice de área foliar. Os resultados indicaram que o uso das telas alterou os padrões da temperatura, quando o uso das telas termorrefletora e preta reduziu a temperatura máxima em 4,7 e 3,6ºC, respectivamente, em relação ao ambiente controle, permitindo um menor acúmulo térmico no período experimental. Quanto às alterações morfológicas ocasionadas pelas modificações ambientais, foi possível constatar que o uso das telas termorrefletora e preta aumentou o número de folhas maiores que 10cm e o índice de área foliar. O uso de tela preta ou termorrefletora como subcobertura em estufas pode ser uma alternativa viável para incrementar a produção de alface em condições tropicais.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different types of shading nets used as undercover of plastic in greenhouses of hydroponic cultivation of lettuce. The experiment was performed in greenhouses covered with plastic film of 150µm with three types of undercover nets: thermal reflector net, black, red and acontroltreatment - without the use of the undercover.To evaluate the environmental changes caused by treatments thermohygrometer data logger swere installed in each greenhouse as well asone in the external environment. The devices recorded the air temperature every 15 minutes from May 18th2011to June 14th2011. By using these data, it was possible to estimate the values of the growing degree-daysineach environment. To analyze the changes in plant growth and development caused by the treatments, five samples were taken along the experimental period. Inthe laboratorywe counted the number of leaves greater than 10cmof lengthand measured the leaf area index. The results indicated that the use of the nets changed the overall patterns of temperature and relative humidity. The use of thermal reflector net and black net reduced the maximum temperature at 4.7 and 3.6°C, respectively, compared to the controlalso allowing for lower growing degree-days at the end of the experimental period.As for the morphological changes caused by treatments, we observed that the use of thermal reflector netand black net increased the number of leaves greater than 10cm andalso the leaf area index.The use of black net or thermal reflector net as undercover in greenhouses can be a feasible alternative to increase the production of lettuce in tropical conditions.

Thermal stress related with mortality rates on broilers' preslaughter operations: a lairage time effect study / Estresse térmico relacionado com taxas de mortalidade durante as operações pré-abate de frangos de corte: um estudo sobre os efeitos do tempo de espera

Concerning the reduction of preslaughter death losses, high temperature and relative humidity in the tropics are the major concerns regarding broiler survival prior slaughtering. However, the relationship between different lairage times under controlled environment and the thermal condition outside the holding area is still unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare different intervals of lairage time with different environmental temperature and relationship with poultry mortality rates. A study was conducted in a commercial poultry abattoir in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the year of 2006. The historical data set from 13,937 trucks, about broiler mortality during preslaughter operations, was given by the abattoir. Factors that influence the welfare of birds were studied, such as lairage time in abattoir and hourly dry-bulb temperature. The statistical analysis was performed using the Double Generalized Linear Models. The lower incidence of death losses before arrival at the processing plant (approximately 13 dead birds per truck) was observed when the lairage time was between 1 to 3 hours, under high temperatures (above 22°C). This effect was more pronounced under critical (25-28°C) and lethal intervals (above 29°C) (12 and 13 dead birds per truck, respectively). In relation to lairage time, the reduction in mortality rates was more pronounced in the intervals up to 1 hour of lairage under climatized conditions, with a reduction of 3 dead birds per truck. It was concluded that thermal stress have negative influence for broilers welfare kept under preslaughter conditions and variations on mortality rate are strongly related with different lairage times.

No que diz respeito à redução das perdas por mortalidade pré-abate, as temperaturas e umidades relativas elevadas nos trópicos são as maiores preocupações quanto à sobrevivência de frangos de corte antes do abate. Entretanto, a relação entre diferentes tempos de espera em ambiente controlado e a condição térmica fora do galpão de espera ainda não está clara. Dessa forma, objetivou-se por meio deste trabalho comparar diferentes tempos de espera com diferentes temperaturas externas e a influência nas taxas de mortalidade de frangos de corte. O estudo foi conduzido em um abatedouro comercial de frangos de corte, situado no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, durante o ano de 2006. Dados históricos de mortalidade de aves durante as operações pré-abate foram obtidos no abatedouro, provenientes de 13.937 caminhões transportadores de frangos de corte. Fatores que influenciam o bem estar das aves foram estudados, dentre eles, o tempo de espera no abatedouro e a temperatura horária do ambiente externo. A análise estatística foi realizada por meio dos Modelos Lineares Generalizados Duplos. A baixa incidência de mortes antes da chegada à linha de abate foi observada (aproximadamente 13 aves mortas por caminhão) quando o tempo de espera esteve entre 1 e 3 horas, sob altas temperaturas (acima de 22°C). Esse efeito foi mais evidente nas faixas crítica (25-28°C) e letal (acima de 29°C) (12 e 13 aves mortas por caminhão, respectivamente). Com relação ao tempo de espera, a redução da mortalidade foi mais pronunciada em intervalos acima de uma hora de espera, sob condições de espera climatizada. Conclui-se que o estresse térmico possui influência negativa para o bem-estar de frangos mantidos sob condição pré-abate e variações na taxa de mortalidade são fortemente relacionadas aos diferentes tempos de espera.