With international demand for production systems aimed at thermal comfort and animal welfare, milk producers have become increasingly interested in compost barns. However, doubts about the behavioral aspects of cows in tropical and subtropical climates remain, because the compost barn system offers a larger bed area per animal at a lower stocking rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the diurnal behaviors, hygiene and lameness of crossbred dairy cows are influenced by different number of lactations when housed in a compost-bedded pack barn system under hot and humid conditions. Crossbred cows (Holstein and Jersey), which were divided into two treatments based on number of lactations (primiparous and multiparous cows), were evaluated during lactation (n=12). The study was conducted from September 2015 to February 2016 in a compost barn in the southwest region of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Daytime behavior was observed between milking schedules using focal observations with 0/1 sampling. Cow hygiene and lameness were evaluated using subjective scores ranging from 1 to 4 and 1 to 5, respectively. Animal behavior and welfare was analyzed using Bayesian inference with a mixed effects model. The probabilities of dyspnea and pushing behaviors were higher (P<0.05) in multiparous cows, and the probability increased during the hottest hours of the day. For both multiparous and primiparous cows, the agonistic behaviors of pushing, butting and chasing peaked during the afternoon. Eating behaviors had the highest likelihood values (0.8 at 0800 h). The cows preferred to remain lying down in the morning, while rest and standing rumination were preferred in the afternoon. Primiparous cows were cleaner than multiparous cows, and the hygiene score for this group was significantly lower (P<0.05). The hygiene and lameness scores for all animals were low, and the highest scores were 1 and 2. In conclusion, multiparous cows exhibited more frequent agonistic behaviors during the hottest hours of the day. Regarding hygiene and lameness scores, multiparous cows exhibited a higher degree of dirtiness compared with the primiparous cows.

In this study, we investigated the influence of a silvopastoral system on the thermal environment, behaviour and thermoregulation of dairy heifers in a subtropical climate. The experiment was conducted on a dairy farm in Southwest Paraná, Brazil, during the summer of 2014. Crossbred Holstein × Jersey dairy heifers (n = 10) were used in a split-plot design. The fixed effects in this study include time of day (9:00–10:00, 13:00–14:00, and 17:00–18:00 h) under silvopastoral or open pastures conditions, which were the main-plot and split-plot factors, respectively. To assess the environmental conditions in both systems, air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed were recorded. In addition, the temperature-humidity index was calculated based on the microcli-mate measurements. Respiratory rate and hair coat surface temperature of heifers were measured in both groups during time of day (30 days). Diurnal behaviour using focal observations with 0/1 sampling was observed. Data were analysed using Bayesian inference with a mixed effects model. The air temperature was higher (P<0.05) in open pasture conditions than the silvopasture system. Temperature-humidity index values for the silvopasture system were lower than open pasture during the hottest hours of the day. Regarding thermoregulation responses, there was an interaction between time of day and pasture environment (P<0.05). Heifers showed lower respiratory rates and hair coat surface temperature values (P<0.05) when access to shade was provided, mainly during the hottest periods in the afternoon. In addition, there was also an interaction between rumination and water intake (P<0.05), which indicates a higher rumination frequency for animals in the silvopasture system during the hottest period, as well as a higher water intake frequency for heifers in open pasture during midday. These findings imply that the arrangement of trees in a silvopasture system provides better thermal comfort conditions for dairy heifers raised in a subtropical climate.

This work presents applications of the linear mixed-effects model calibration to predict individual tree volumes of Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden plantations on first and second rotations located in different farms of the same region in São Paulo, Brazil. We started with the Schumacher and Hall equation in its linearized form to develop our mixed-effects model. Some parameters were considered as random among the different farms, and the calibration was made at the farm level using a small number of sample trees. The approach was developed for univariate models of the first rotation, which were calibrated with first- and second-rotation trees, and for bivariate models of the two rotations, which were calibrated with first-rotation trees. The results showed that the calibrated mixed model provides more reliable predictions than the fixed part of the model alone; however, the benefit is only moderate due to the rather small variation of the stem form between farms and rotations. The results indicate that the approach can reduce the measurement requirements on second-rotation crops.

Induced defence allows plants to manage energy reserves more efficiently by synthesizing defence compounds only when needed. A risk of induced defence is that when plants are challenged by herbivores, they may suffer considerable damage before the defence is mounted. Priming can cause a state of readiness for the induction of the defence response, leading to a reduction in the damage received in an energy-efficient and less costly manner. Our objective was to verify whether seed coating with jasmonic acid (JA) and chitosan (CH) could prime plants against chewing and sap-feeding herbivores by affecting their herbivory of treated plants. We used Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata cv. Derby Day (Brassicaceae) seeds treated with JA and CH, second-instar Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), and newborn nymphs of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). We evaluated life-history, performance, and fecundity traits of the insects. Neither JA nor CH affected B. oleracea leaf area. Both JA and CH affected P. xylostella. JA reduced the mean relative growth rate of P. xylostella and led to 84% pre-imaginal mortality, whereas CH reduced oviposition. JA reduced significantly the intrinsic rate of increase in M. persicae, whereas CH did not differ from the control. Therefore, JA and CH seed coating lead to long-term defence priming in B. oleracea against chewing and sap-feeding insects.

No abstract

No abstract

Ao professor João Luis Ferreira Batista, pelos exemplos, pela orientação, pela presença de espírito, pela companhia nas análises, nos desânimos refrentes à dissertação e à vida. Aos meus pais, Doris e Roberto, por sempre estarem presentes, mesmo nas ausências, e por todo o apoio. À minha avó, Saturnina e meus irmãos Fábio e Iara por me amarem apesar de tudo, e principalmente a minha esposa Lilian, que desde 1998 se faz presente, nas alegrias e tristezas, como ninguém jamais esteve. À CAPES, pela bolsa de estudos. À todos do CMQ, pela melhor das acolhidas, pelas conversas, cafés, risadas, pela convivência sempre agradável em todos os momentos, mesmo os nem tão agradáveis, com todos os professores e os colegas que ao longo desses três anos chegaram, partiram e algumas vezes voltaram. E em especial, meus "irmãos de orientador", Melissa, Mauricio e Jaime, pelo companheirismo e apoio fundamental e constante. Ao Jeferson, a quem não existem palavras suficientes para agradecer, por toda a ajuda, toda a calma, amizade e paciência. Aos professores e funcionários do LCF, pela ajuda, pela perene boa vontade e simpatia na convivência quase diária, e pelas conversas nos cafés das 9, que deixaram saudades. Aos amigos e colegas do curso, pela convivência e aprendizado. Aos funcionários e amigos da Vale: Jonacir, Ectore, Alan, Genil, Brás, Valdecir e Rodolfo pela imensa ajuda, com especial destaque para o Adeilton pela ajuda e fornecimento de "Seleta" nos dias mais difíceis de trabalho.

The spatial variability and behavioural aspects of compost-bedded pack barns remain unknown in subtropical regions. In this study, we investigated whether spatial variability occurs in the thermal environment of a compost barn and how the behaviour of dairy cows with different numbers of lactations differs in this system. The spatial sampling design comprised a grid of 108 locations inside the facility. At each location, we measured air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and bed temperature at 9:00, 12:00, and 15:00. We performed 24-h behavioural observations. Regarding spatial variability, the north face showed high air temperature values, and the distribution of relative humidity varied from the north to the south face. Kriging maps revealed a high bedding temperature trend, indicating heterogeneous ventilation management. Primiparous cows visited the water trough during the hottest hours of the day, whereas multiparous cows displayed a higher probability of walking during these periods. In conclusion, we observed a heterogeneous management of ventilation through the spatial distribution of the thermal environment inside the compost-bedded pack barn, with multiparous cows exhibiting dominance over primiparous cows seeking environmental resources.