This study employed infrared thermography to assess the thermoregulatory responses of female buffaloes reared in a hot and humid climate as a function of variations in time and the thermal environment, and to correlate rectal temperature with that of different body areas. The trial was carried out at Embrapa Eastern Amazon (01 • 26'S and 48 • 24'W) in Belém, PA, Brazil. Twenty-four female buffaloes fed exclusively on pasture and exposed to the sun throughout the day in an open area were used. The animals were taken back to the corral at 6 A.M., 9 A.M., 12 P.M., 3 P.M., 6 P.M., and 9 P.M. for measurements of rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), and body surface temperature (BST) using infrared thermography (IRT). Data on air temperature (AT), relative air humidity (RH), wind velocity (WV), and solar radiation (SR) were also recorded. A quadratic effect of AT, RH, SR, RR, and RT (P < 0.01) was found as a function of measurement time. Between 12 P.M. and 3 P.M., AT, SR, RR, and RT values were the highest, while RH values were the lowest (P < 0.05). WV was the highest between 12 P.M. and 9 P.M. A difference was found in RR and RT among the day's times, with the highest values at 12 P.M. and 3 P.M. (P<0.05). The IRTs have a quadratic effect as a function of day's times, with the highest levels between 12 P.M. and 6 P.M. and a reduction at 9 P.M. All IRTs are correlated with the physiological variables RR and RT, except for the IRT of the side of the back, which is not correlated with RT. The IRTs of the eye and cheek are correlated with RT (P < 0.01) and with RR (P < 0.05). IRT was efficient in evaluating the thermal stress of female buffaloes in hot and humid climates, and the technique can be used to evaluate the body temperature of these animals, since the RT was positively correlated with the temperature of the eye and cheek.

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 &lt; 0.05) for animals from NS Group, with the highest mean time at 2 p.m. Pearson correlation was significant and positive (P &lt; 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.

The Brazilian Amazon has witnessed, in the last decades, an increase in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) inventory, with interesting productivity results. As the Brazilian Amazon contains the main water buffalo population in the Americas, the aim of this work is to review its most relevant production systems and some peculiarities about meat and milk production in this territory. The opening section describes the Amazon Basin, the most common water buffalo breeds, a brief history of the local livestock farming beginning in 1644. Also, it presents how water buffaloes gradually replaced bovine herds, especially where the latter had a lower productive performance. The use of extensive or more intensified models is pointed out and the ecosystems in which buffaloes are raised are detailed since native or cultivated pastures can be used in floodplains or drylands. Buffalo raising is favored in the Amazon due to the climate, soil, genetic variability of forages, animal adaptability, and physical space. Thus, it is clear that buffaloes have a high potential for meat and milk production and are an alternative in the use of altered areas of the Amazon; and, in the recent past, the low profitability of buffalo farming in traditional production systems in the Amazon was the reason which made this activity economically unattractive. Most recent technologies as outdoor confinements and silvopastoral systems are pointed out as more suitable regarding land-use policies, and buffalo farming for meat and milk production fits perfectly in this context, with productivity and beneficial socioeconomic.

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of distinct production systems and seasonal variation in the Brazilian Eastern Amazon on the meat lipid composition of water buffaloes. Water buffaloes were reared in commercial farms in the Eastern Amazon either in extensive systems (Marajó Island, Nova Timboteua and Santarém locations), during rainy or dry seasons, or intensive (feedlot) systems. Animals reared in extensive systems were fed natural pastures, and those reared in feedlots were fed sorghum silage and commercial pellets. Buffaloes were slaughtered and ribeye muscle (longissimus lumborum) samples collected. Lipid-soluble antioxidant vitamins and fatty acids were analyzed. The nutritional value of meat from buffaloes reared in Marajó Island extensive system during the rainy season was higher than that of other systems, as it had lower levels of cholesterol and higher amounts of α-tocopherol associated with higher hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic ratio and lower index of atherogenic. Also, this meat had lower percentages of saturated fatty acids and higher proportions of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly n − 3PUFA, with increased PUFA/saturated fatty acids ratio and decreased n − 6/ n − 3PUFA ratio. However, all extensive systems produced meat with a relatively low index of thrombogenicity values, which is advantageous for human health.

Twenty female Murrah buffaloes between four and five years old were randomly distributed into two groups (traditional system - TS and silvopastoral system - SPS) with 10 animals each and an average weight of 377.78 kg and 356.10 kg, respectively, for the TS and the SPS. The TS had a management regime with no canopy cover and no shade coverage over the drinking and feeding troughs. In the SPS, Racosperma mangium (Fabaceae) trees were used to provide shade, with an estimated 10% shading. The physiological variables studied were rectal temperature and respiratory frequency measured every three days from 6 to 7 AM and from 12 to 1 PM. The following environmental indices were calculated: Temperature Humidity Index (THI), Black Globe Humidity Comfort Index (BGHI), and Benezra’s Index of Adaptability (BIA). The THI values were high in both management systems, between 76.27 and 86.73, higher than the limit of comfort level for buffaloes, which is 75. The maximum values of BGHI for the afternoon were 92.0 and 87.62, for TS and SPS, respectively, and the maximum values of BIA for the afternoon were 4.4 and 3.8, for TS and SPS respectively, which were higher than the critical level of adaptability and represented an uncomfortable condition that causes a reduction in animal performance. It was concluded that the silvopastoral management system is more efficient in terms of animal comfort for the female buffaloes as a result of the shade that provides a more amenable microclimate.

This research aimed to study the behavior of female Murrah buffaloes in a silvopastoral system. The trial was carried out at Embrapa Eastern Amazon, under Afi climate according to the Köppen classification, between August and November 2009, during the less rainy season. Three different periods of the day were considered during activity evaluation: morning period – between 6:00 AM and 9:55 AM; intermediary period – between 10:00 AM and 1:55 PM; and afternoon period – between 2:00 PM and 5:55 PM. The animals were maintained in a silvopastoral system (SPS) (ST; n=10) with shade from Racosperma mangium. The meteorological variables of temperature and relative air humidity were measured, as well as the following animal behavior variables: time grazing, ruminating and idling, time standing and lying, and time in shaded and non-shaded areas. These variables were compared by T test (P<0.05). Air temperatures were higher in the non-shaded area of the SPS. All activities were reduced in the intermediary period, except idling. The grazing and rumination times in the morning were longer in non-shaded areas, while the time idling standing was longer during the intermediary period in shaded areas as a way of avoiding the harmful effects of the intense solar radiation and high air temperatures of the Amazonian humid climate. Hence, SPSs may contribute to animal welfare and increase their productive behavior.

RESUMO:O artigo caracteriza a produção leiteira no município de Tailândia, Nordeste Paraense, a partir de dados sobre o perfil socioeconômico do produtor, sistemas de produção, comercialização, associativismo, assistência técnica e crédito rural, obtidos em 49 propriedades leiteiras. A idade média dos produtores foi de 52,5 anos, com baixo nível de escolaridade e atuação na atividade há mais de dez anos. A maioria (73,5%) reside na propriedade, mas é natural da região Nordeste do Brasil. A produção de leite é a principal atividade, e a renda é complementada com outras atividades rurais e urbanas. Há participação expressiva dos familiares nas atividades com pequena contratação de mão de obra. A produtividade média das propriedades foi de 5 litros/vaca/dia, com período médio de lactação de seis a oito meses. O sistema tradicional é predominante nas propriedades e, apesar de 79,6% adotarem pastejo rotacionado, apenas 6,12% utilizam capineiras; no período seco, somente 34,7% suplementam o rebanho com farelos de arroz, milho, soja, trigo e resíduos de macaxeira e dendê. Como medidas sanitárias, há conformidade quanto à aplicação de vacina contra febre aftosa, além da prevenção contra parasitas e verminoses. Não há controle e planejamento reprodutivo, o que interfere negativamente no desenvolvimento da produção. A ordenha é realizada manualmente em curral coberto, uma vez ao dia, e apenas 34,7% das propriedades possuem água encanada no local para higiene dos manipuladores, utensílios e animais. Devido à suspensão das atividades do laticínio municipal de Tailândia, a produção de leite e derivados é comercializada informalmente, o que configura um risco à saúde pública. Apenas 20,4% dos produtores obtiveram acesso aos serviços de assistência técnica e 51% não obtiveram acesso a financiamento. A falta de informação, de assistência técnica e de investimentos na produção leiteira gera baixa produtividade e qualidade do produto. ABSTRACT: The article features dairy production in the municipality of Tailândia, northeast

The growing demand for nutritious protein-rich foods has increased the visibility of the wild animal meat market, and created an alternative replacement for traditional meats. The informality in this product offer is a characteristic feature of this market. It is necessary to certify the existence of a public in this market niche. This segmentation of the wild animal meat consumer market in Belém municipality, Pará state, in the Brazilian Amazon, was carried out to identify consumers’ perceptions of the economic potential of this activity. Data were obtained from a representative sample of consumers in Belém, one of the most representative consumption centers in the Amazon. Market segmentation was performed using two multivariate techniques: factor analysis to simplify the original data matrix, and cluster analysis to identify homogeneous groups according to the highest degree of similarity of objects in relation to the attributes of interest. The survey results showed that factors such as consumption preferences, product availability, education level, income, and family composition are determinants of the consumption of wild animal meat. The study also confirmed the existence of a market for this product in food establishments such as bars and restaurants. The main wild animal meats consumed were tartaruga-da-Amazônia (Podocnemis expansa) (61.67%), alligator (Alligatoridae) (56.67%), paca (Cuniculus paca) (52.50%), deer (Cervidae) (40.83%), armadillo (Dasypodidae) (40.00 %), muçuã (Kinosternon scorpioides) (30.83%), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) (29.58%), tortoise (Chelonoidis) (21.25%), tracajá (Podocnemis unifilis) (19.58%), peccary (Pecari tajacu) (17.08%) and sloth (Folivora) (12.92%). The expansion of this market, requires strategies to strengthen the regular sustainable supply of the product, including public initiative efforts regarding the regulatory framework of the activity and entrepreneurial efforts for the necessary investments in breeding and slaughtering system officers.