ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of cooling systems by negative pressure versus directed ducts on the performance of lactating sows and their litter. The experiment was conducted in a tropical climatic region in Brazil. Ninety-four lactating sows during 26.2±1.7 days of lactation were included with their 1,236 piglets. Sows were distributed using a completely randomized block design into two treatments: a negative pressure cooling (NPC) system and a directed duct cooling (DDC) system. […]

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to verify the association of improved native grassland and winter and summer pastures on the weaning rate in beef cattle production. Subsequently, we also verified the socioeconomic and productive characteristics related to the adoption of technologies to increase the weaning rate of the farmers. The survey was conducted with 73 producers of Hereford and Braford cattle in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A data analysis was performed using the minimum […]

This study aimed to characterize the Brazilian dairy calves raising systems through a survey of major aspects of animal husbandry. One hundred seventy-nine producers and/or technicians were interviewed. The questionnaire addressed issues related to the management of the dry cow and the newborn, nutritional management of the liquid-feeding phase, housing, and health management. A third of newborn calves stay with their mothers for more than 24 h after delivery, and only 56% of the calves receive colostrum within the first […]

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the evaporative cooling of the air at farrowing on the performance of lactating sows under high environmental temperature conditions in the Central West region of Brazil. One hundred and forty-four lactating sows – 46 of first and second farrowing (experiment I) and 98 from the third to eighth farrowing (experiment II) – were used. Sows were distributed in experimental design of randomized blocks consisting of two rooms (with air cooling and control), with the […]

Neste estudo objetivou-se avaliar a relação do escore de comportamento materno de ovelhas com os parâmetros fisiológicos relacionados ao seu temperamento. Durante a parição, foram avaliadas 258 ovelhas Corriedale e 50 ovelhas Ideal criadas em campo natural em três fazendas na região sudoeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Foram analisados os efeitos propriedade, idade, tipo de parto, escore de comportamento materno e escore de condição corporal antes do parto e ao desmame em relação às frequências cardíaca […]

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of purified cellulose, soybean hulls and citrus pulp in the diet of weaned piglets. A total of 72 piglets (36 castrated males and 36 females) weaned at 21 days of age (BW 6.45±0.66 kg) was distributed according to a randomized block design, for evaluation of performance, transit time, diarrhea incidence and blood parameters of piglets which received diets containing different sources of fiber. The experimental diets were: control diet – diet […]

Objetivou-se avaliar o comportamento de ovinos e relacionar aspectos comportamentais com a raça e idade dos animais. Foram observados 5.971 animais divididos em 181 lotes quanto às raças – Corriedale (n = 2.731), Ideal (n = 1.574), Merino (n = 168), Texel (n = 717), Suffolk (n = 247) e 6 mestiços (n = 534) – e quanto à idade – cordeiras (1,5 ano, n = 3.021), ovelhas (acima de 1,5 ano, n = 2457) e cordeiras dente-de-leite (média de […]

A capacidade reprodutiva é controlada por fatores como estação do ano, interações sociais e estado metabólico. Entretanto, a influência da reatividade emocional no sucesso reprodutivo ainda não foi intensivamente investigada nos rebanhos. Nesta revisão, definimos reatividade emocional e a sua expressão da variabilidade individual denominada temperamento. Descrevemos de forma reduzida um protocolo para mensurar o temperamento em ovinos e discutir a herdabilidade das características do temperamento. Utilizando resultados obtidos de nossos rebanhos de ovinos selecionados para temperamento calmo ou nervoso, […]

A reatividade é definida como a reação do animal quando contido num ambiente de contenção móvel. Ela é quantificada por meio do teste de reatividade animal em ambiente de contenção móvel – REATEST®. Este teste consiste num dispositivo eletrônico acoplado à balança e num software específico. O dispositivo capta a movimentação que o animal provoca na balança, durante 20 segundos e a envia para o software que a processa determinando a reatividade do animal numa escala contínua de pontos. Pontuações […]