Eighty-four Bos taurus crossbred steers were used to investigate effects of level and duration of limit-feeding feedlot cattle in a hot environment. Pens (four/treatment) of steers (seven/pen) were fed feedlot finishing diets and randomly assigned to the following treatments: 1) restricted to approximately 75% of feed consumed when offered ad libitum for 21-d duration (RES21); 2) restricted to approximately 75% of ad libitum for 42-d duration (RES42); and 3) feed offered ad libitum (ADLIB). Tympanic temperatures (TT) were measured via thermistors placed in the ear canal and attached to data loggers. Restricting feed intake for both 21- and 42-d reduced tympanic temperature when compared with ADLIB treatment groups under hot environmental conditions. Temperature reductions exceeded 0.5 degrees C (P < 0.05) depending on time of day. The reduced tympanic temperature is likely due to a reduction in metabolic heat load and/or a concurrent reduction in metabolic rate. Within respective periods, no differences (P > 0.05) were found among treatments for panting or bunching score. However, different proportions of cattle were found to be bunching and panting with ADLIB cattle displaying a greater number of bunched steers that were panting when compared with the other groups. When averaged across diet treatments, dark-colored cattle had the greatest percentage of cattle showing moderate to excessive panting, while light-colored cattle displayed the least panting under thermoneutral climatic conditions. Under hot (mean daily temperature-humidity index >74) conditions, dark-colored cattle tended to bunch more (P = 0.073) and pant more (P < 0.01) than light-colored cattle. Mean TT were 0.2 to 0.6 degrees C (P < 0.05) greater for dark- vs light-colored cattle under hot conditions. Limit-feeding feedlot cattle during early summer is a successful tool for enhancing animal comfort by alleviating the combined effects of high climatic and metabolic heat load.

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate management strategies designed to decrease heat stress of cattle finished during the summer. In Exp. 1, 144 Angus crossbred yearling steers were assigned to three treatments: 1) ad libitum access to feed at 0800 (ADLIB); 2) fed at 1600 with feed amount adjusted so that no feed was available at 0800 (BKMGT); and 3) fed at 1600 at 85% of predicted ad libitum levels (LIMFD). Treatments were imposed for 23 d of an 82-d study, after which all steers were fed ad libitum at 0800. Treatment did not affect (P > 0.10) overall DMI, although ADLIB cattle tended to consume less feed. Overall water intake was decreased (P < 0.05) by 6.8 L x animal(-1) x d(-1) for LIMFD vs. ADLIB steers. In Exp. 2, 96 Angus crossbred yearling steers were assigned to three treatments: 1) control, no water application; 2) water applied to the pen surfaces between 1000 and 1200 (AM); and 3) water applied to pen surfaces between 1400 and 1600 (PM). Water intake and DMI did not differ among treatments; however, feed efficiency of AM steers was superior (P = 0.06) to that of PM steers. Conversely, marbling scores of PM steers were higher (P = 0.06) than those of AM steers. In Exp. 3, 192 crossbred steers were used to determine the effects of feeding time (0800 [AMF] vs. 1400 [PMF]), with (WET) and without (DRY) sprinkling (20 min every 1.5 h between 1000 and 1750). Feed DMI did not differ among treatments; however, water intake and marbling scores were highest (P < 0.05) for AMF/DRY steers. During these experiments, bunk scores (0 = <10% of feed delivered remaining; 1 = 10 to 50% of feed remaining; 2 = >50% of feed remaining) were assigned to each pen at various times during the day. In Exp. 1, bunk scores of BKMGT pens remained similar (P > 0.20) under varying environmental conditions, whereas LIMFD steers had lower scores (P < 0.05) as days on feed increased, even under hot environmental conditions. In Exp. 3, bunk scores of PMF/WET steers tended to be lower (P < 0.10) at 1700 and 2000 compared with PMF/ DRY pens under mild heat stress but not under severe heat stress. Alternative feeding regimens and sprinkling can alter the feed intake pattern of steers. Heat stress management strategies imposed in these experiments had minimal effects on cattle performance. Such strategies would be most useful for decreasing the susceptibility of cattle to hyperthermia and reducing related feedlot cattle deaths without adversely affecting performance.

SUMMARYThe effect of climate on dairy and beef cattle is variable and complex because it affects the environment in which the animals are raised and reproduced. Its influence on animal welfare and production have been recognized and studied since 1950's. Climate affects livestock directly and indirectly, since it modifies the quality and/or quantity of food available, the requirements of water and energy, and the amount of energy consumed and the use of it. The animals cope with these adverse conditions of climate by altering physiological and behavioral mechanisms in order to maintain their body temperature within a normal range. As a result it is possible to observe changes in the food intake, behavior and productivity. These changes are magnified under extreme conditions of heat or cold, implying drastic reductions in the indices of production, such as average daily gain and daily milk production. Most of the research conducted in this area has been done mainly in controlled environmental chambers, with emphasis on the animal response and its productivity. Currently, the major scientific focus is on the development of thermal stress indices as practical tools for cattle handling under unfavorable environmental conditions. The objectives of this review are to describe and discuss the most important climatic factors affecting cattle performance as well as the major mitigation alternatives. It also presents a brief overview of the research carried out in Chile and possible lines of research in this field.Palabras clave: estrés, ganado de leche y carne, bienestar animal, factores climáticos. INTRODUCCIONAlgunos de los principales resultados de la actividad antropogénica han sido el incremento de los niveles atmosféricos de CO 2 , las alteraciones de las propiedades biológicas y químicas del suelo, así como el continuo uso y cambio de uso de la tierra (Vitousek 1994). En su conjunto estos hechos han provocado cambios climáticos a través del planeta aumentando las temperaturas mínimas y máximas para el período 1951 -1990 (Karl y col 1993. Esta asimetría entre mínimas y máximas ha sido detectada a través de todas las estaciones del año en el planeta, particularmente en las regiones del hemisferio norte. Asimismo, diversos modelos climáticos pronostican cambios en el clima del mundo, con un aumento en la concentración de CO 2 atmosférico, incrementos de temperaturas y cambios en la distribución de las precipitaciones (Klohn y Faurès 2006). Las estimaciones de incremento en la temperatura superficial media global son de un rango de 1,5 a 4,5 °C (Khalifa 2003). Todo esto tendría profundos efectos en la producción agropecuaria y de alimentos tanto para los animales como para el ser humano. Schimmelpfennig y col (1996) reportaron la existencia de numerosos informes que indican potenciales daños a los animales en función de los cambios de clima proyectados. El efecto del clima en la producción animal ha sido estudiado desde hace aproximadamente medio siglo, lográndose importantes avances en el entendimiento de los aspec...

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Steers were finished in three different sets of outside lots: 1) pens with overhead shelter on the north side; 2) pens south and southeast of a shelterbelt; and 3) pens with no shelter or windbreak. In trials conducted over a 3-yr period with predominantly British and British x Continental crossbred yearlings, performance improvements due to providing shelter or wind protection in the winter were not detected; however, in the summer, providing wind protection or shelter resulted in decreased (P < .10) cattle gains. Cattle fed in the unprotected area had greater (P < .05) fat thickness in the winter and greater marbling scores in the winter (P < .05) and autumn (P < .10) than cattle fed in protected areas. When averaged across facilities, season effects were detected for DMI (autumn > summer > winter > spring; P < .05). Feed:gain ratios followed a similar trend among seasons (summer and autumn > winter > spring P < .05). As a percentage of BW, winter (2.21), spring (2.19), and summer (2.18) DMI were less (P < .05) than autumn (2.35) DMI. Wind velocity data indicated that greater air flows tends to be found on mounds and less at the feedbunk in pens protected by shelterbelts. In unprotected, unsheltered pens, the greater airflow tends to be at the highest point in the pen (bunks and mounds). In Nebraska, benefits realized from feeding cattle in sheltered or protected areas under average or slightly milder than average winter weather conditions may be offset by lower performance experienced by cattle fed in those same areas in the summer. In addition, fat deposition seems to be enhanced in cattle exposed to moderate cold stress.