Thermoregulatory and Behavioral Responses of Buffaloes With and Without Direct Sun Exposure During Abnormal Environmental Condition in Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the effect of thermal-hydraulic variables in female buffaloes with or without direct solar exposure in a year of strong El Niño through behavior responses and infrared thermography to reinforce the environmental comfort indicators, in Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil. The experiment was carried out in Cachoeira do Arari municipality and 20 female Murrah buffaloes were randomly assigned to two groups: Group WS (n = 10) was kept in pickets with native trees. Group NS (n = 10) was kept in crush squeeze with no shade. Data on air temperature (AT, °C), relative air humidity (RH, %), wind velocity (WV, m/s), rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), and body surface temperature (BST) were collected. Practical Buffalo Comfort Climatic Condition Index (BCCCI), practical Buffalo Environmental Comfort Index (BECI), Temperature and Humidity Index (THI) and Benezra's Thermal Comfort Index (BTCI) were obtained. Infrared thermography analysis was carried out with a FLIR T-series T640bx camera. Data on time spent grazing, ruminating, idleness, and in other activities were recorded. A significant difference in AT of ~1°C was found between the groups at 6 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. THI indicated emergency conditions. Female buffaloes were at danger PBCCCI conditions at 2 p.m. There was also significant difference for RT between treatments at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., whose values were higher (P < 0.05) for animals from NS Group, with the highest mean time at 2 p.m. Pearson correlation was significant and positive (P < 0.01) between RT mean and VUL, TI and ORB mean, maximum and minimum temperatures. The total time given to grazing was 518.2 min for the group NS and 629.5 min for the group WS. Rumination was more pronounced in the afternoon shift for the group NS. Buffaloes kept in a system with trees graze, ruminate and perform other activities with more intensity than animals raised in systems without access to shade, and tend to hyperthermia, mainly at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., in Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil.

Clinical Applications and Factors Involved in Validating Thermal Windows Used in Infrared Thermography in Cattle and River Buffalo to Assess Health and Productivity

“…Results showed only a low correlation (r 2 = 0.24) between orbital region and body temperature but produced a positive correlation between the orbital and anal regions (r 2 = 0.43). Their findings differ from those reported by Athaíde et al [61], who found a positive correlation (r 2 = 0.65) of the maximum, median, and minimum temperatures of the lacrimal caruncle of eye and orbital region with the rectal temperatures of female Murrah This study compared the thermal response of the lacrimal caruncle of the eye in four healthy bovines under conditions of pain produced by second-degree claudication of a pelvic limb [54]. The animals were subjected to a Sprecher test [57] to assess gait.…”

“…Results showed only a low correlation (r 2 = 0.24) between orbital region and body temperature but produced a positive correlation between the orbital and anal regions (r 2 = 0.43). Their findings differ from those reported by Athaíde et al [ 61 ], who found a positive correlation (r 2 = 0.65) of the maximum, median, and minimum temperatures of the lacrimal caruncle of eye and orbital region with the rectal temperatures of female Murrah buffaloes under two climatic conditions: with and without access to shade. Another study that included buffaloes ( Bubalus bubalis ) reported that ocular temperatures in the orbital region had a positive correlation (r 2 = 0.92) with body temperatures in animals fed in open pasture [ 62 ].…”

“…This thermal relation of the urogenital region and the estrus cycle is described as hyperthermia before ovulation that decreases later in that process [ 79 ]. However, the precision of this window, can be affected by environmental factors, such as solar radiation or wind, so it is essential to consider these elements when reporting final values, as other studies of river buffaloes also suggest [ 61 ]. Climatic changes and their link to reproductive parameters were analyzed by Yadav et al [ 80 ] in 130 male Murrah buffaloes (breeding bulls).…”

Thermal Comfort Index for Lactating Water Buffaloes under Hot and Humid Climate

“…Earlier studies have also reported a strong negative correlation between IHTI and RT in dairy cows in different seasons in the tropics [30]. On the other hand, studies have shown that BTCI was positively correlated with mean air temperature, which indicates thermal stress at higher temperatures [31]. Three physiological index models obtained in the present study were positively correlated with buffalo physiological indicators, especially with BST and RR.…”

Thermoregulatory reactions of female buffaloes raised in the sun and in the shade, in the climatic conditions of the rainy season of the Island of Marajó, Pará, Brazil

“…Both groups had access to water and mineral salt ad libitum . The sample used in this study of 10 buffaloes per group was the same used in the Santos et al ( 26 ) and Athaide et al ( 27 ). In this study, only clinically healthy buffaloes were selected.…”