O Bioma Caatinga está presente na região Nordeste brasileira, possuindo diversas espécies de plantas endêmicas como a Opuntia fícus-indical, Prosopis juliflora, Calotropis procera e Bromelia laciniosa, sendo a base alternativa da alimentação animal na Caatinga nos períodos de seca, onde a raça Boer vem assumindo importante papel no agronegócio na região Semiárida. Portanto, o objetivo da revisão foi analisar as espécies de plantas cultivadas na Caatinga para alimentação de caprino nos períodos de seca. Pelo fato da escassez da chuva nesse bioma se prolongar por vários meses durante o ano, houve a necessidade de adaptar as plantas que são ricas em proteínas brutas, altas concentrações de nutrientes e amido, que serve para fornecer alimentos dos caprinos, proporcionando aumento do peso e a produção de leite. Dessa forma, tem contribuído para adaptação da raça na Caatinga independente das condições ambientais e garante um excelente manejo alimentar alternativo em todas as épocas do ano.

a existência de espécies de origem exóticas, tais como a Árvore da tristeza (Casuarina equisetifolia L.); Castanhola (Terminalia catappa) e o Olho de dragão (Adenanthera pavonina). Entretanto, sugere-se mais estudos com espécies nativas para arborização no presente município com intuito de recuperar a biodiversidade florística do bioma Caatinga.

This study was conducted to assess the effect of two types of drinkers on water intake (WI) and two types of toys on behavioural observations of piglets in the nursery phase. A total of 72 crossbred entire male piglets (Landrace × Large White, Agroceres♂ and DanBred♀), weaned at 21 days of age, with an average initial body weight (AIBW) of 6.75 ± 0.19 kg were used. Two statistical models were fitted for WI. In model I, animals were distributed in a completely randomized design (CRD) with a split-plot in time, composed of six treatments (2 types of drinkers × 3 experimental phases), eight replications (days of sampling), and 36 animals/experimental unit (EU), without using AIBW as a covariate. In model II, animals were distributed in a CRD with two treatments (fixed or pendular nipple drinkers), eight replications (days of sampling) and 36 animals/EU, with use of AIBW as a covariate. For assessment of behavioural observations, the model was adjusted in a randomized block design, consisting of four treatments [two types of toys (metal chain and plastic bottle) × two daytime periods (morning and afternoon)], nine replications and three blocks constituted in time (days), totalling four pigs/EU. The results indicated an effect on animal daily WI in the starter phase in model I (p < 0.000) and II (p = 0.006). There was an effect (p ≤ 0.05) of toy type for behavioural observations, in which pigs showed a greater proportion of fighting and belly nosing when they had the bottle toy. However, animals spent more time (p ≤ 0.05) eating, drinking water, overlapping, and playing with the toy when they had access to the chain toy. There was an increase (p ≤ 0.05) in sleeping behaviour in the morning period, as well as greater (p ≤ 0.05) behavioural activity in the afternoon period. In conclusion, WI of nursery piglets was positively influenced by growth phase, and the fixed drinker stimulated greater WI in piglets in the starter phase. In addition, the metal chain, as an environmental enrichment, promoted improvements in feeding behaviour and WI, reducing fighting events, and the afternoon period had increased behavioural observations overall.