Escolha do índice de estresse térmico e da origem dos dados do ambiente térmico para avaliar o estresse por calor em bovinos leiteiros em ambiente tropical

Abstract

Firstly, the objective of this study was to examine among the main heat stress indexes which ones best reflect the potential impact of meteorological conditions on the thermal homeostasis of half-blood dairy heifers bred. Eight animals were exposed to direct sunlight from 9h00 to 13h00 in November and December of 2016 and January and February of 2017, in Uberlândia, MG, Brazil. After, the respiratory rate and the rectal temperature were measured. Simultaneously, the temperatures of dry bulb and wet bulb, as well as that of black globe, were quantified, as was the wind speed. Afterwards, the solar radiation, the relative humidity, the mean radiant temperature and ten stress indexes were calculated. They were correlated with the physiological variables and the Equivalent Temperature Index presented the highest amount of meaningful correlations, followed by the Cattle Heat Stress Index and the Environmental Stress Index. In a second research, the values of air temperature, relative humidity and Temperature Humidity Index (THI) of one rural property with milk production at pasture and those from the nearest official weather station were determined, confronting them. At the farm, data readings were recorded by an automatic weather station, every five minutes, from February 2015 to September 2016. Then, the hourly average and hourly THI were calculated. The minimum, average and maximum daily values were selected. The same was done with data from the official weather station, which were times. The minimum and mean temperature in the meteorological station were higher than on the farm, respectively, throughout the experimental period and in 16 months. The maximum temperature of the rural property was greater than that of the station in six months. Meanwhile, the minimum, average and maximum relative humidity of the meteorological station were lower than those of the farm. The minimum THI was higher at the official station and the maximum THI higher at the farm in every month. Finally, the number of days with a maximum THI equal to or greater than the critical THI was higher on the farm. Thus, data from the official weather station underestimate the effect of heat stress.