Efeito da temperatura e umidade na ingestão de alimentos de touros nelore confinados no cerrado

Abstract

In this study, was analysed the influence of air temperature and humidity on the natural matter feed intake of confined bulls in the cerrado biome. Fifty-three Nelore bulls were individually monitored by the GrowSafe System® from May 12 to August 12, 2014. The diet was composed by corn silage, ground corn, soybean meal, urea and mineral nucleus. The ambient temperature and air humidity were recorded every hour using Data Logger, and the Temperature and Humidity Index (THI) was calculated. The days were divided into four periods (8-10 h, 10-15 h, 15-18 h and 18-8 h) according to the meal offer in the trough (at 8, 10 and 15 h) and so on was calculated the mean of natural matter feed intake per hour per animal. The means of natural matter consumption at different times were compared by Student t test. Multiple regression was used by Stepwise method to relate the mean consumption with the thermal environment factors. There was greater consumption of natural matter in the milder period, from 18 to 8 hours, being, therefore, superior to the other periods. The model that best explained the relation between consumption and thermal environment which include the independent variables air temperature, relative humidity and ITU, together. The standardized coefficients for humidity; THI and humidity; THI and temperature presented negative values. The mean of body mass gain was 1.99 kg per day of confinement. For each second of permanency in the trough, consumption increased by 3.20 grams. It is concluded that the temperature; humidity, and both, calculated in the ITU can reduce the consumption of natural matter of Nelore bulls in confinement system as well as the natural matter feed intake is closely related to the hours of greater thermal comfort, that was observed in the late afternoon and at night.