Sıcaklık-Nem İndeks Değerlerinin Yerli Kara Erkek Sığırlarda Bazı Davranışlar Üzerine Etkileri

Abstract

In this study, ear temperature and some behavioural data were determined in the four male animals of Anatolian Black cattle raised under the Institute conditions. For this purpose, a chip sensor (CowManager) was attached to the ears of the animals, and data of 51 days were obtained from each animal hourly. During the study, hourly temperature and humidity data of the barn where the animals were housed were collected, and hourly and daily Temperature - Humidity Index (THI) data were calculated from these values. According to these index values, daily THI values were classified in 3 groups, while hourly THI values were classified in 4 groups. In this study, the ear temperature of the bulls was found to be an average of 21.97 °C daily. The ear temperature values increased as the THI values increased, and the differences between the groups were found to be statistically significant (P<0.001). In the study high active, active, not active, eating and rumination data were found to be 7.84, 6.86, 27.15, 26.69 and 28.31%, daily, respectively. In the analysis made according to the THI groups, the differences according to these behavioural characteristics were found to be statistically significant (P<0.01). In the study, as THI values increased high active, active and not active values increased, while eating and rumination values decreased. While the activity and eating values of the animals increased during the daytime, the not active and rumination values of the animals increased during the night hours. As a result, it was concluded that there is a correlation between the THI values, ear temperature and behavioural data, and this could be an indication that the animal behaviour was affected by meteorological events.