Comportamento ingestivo de novilhas Pantaneiras mantidas em regime de confinamento

Abstract

RESUMOObjetivou-se avaliar o comportamento ingestivo de novilhas da raça Pantaneira (Bos taurus taurus) confinadas e alimentadas com diferentes tipos de feno e ração concentrada, com uma relação na matéria seca de 60:40%, respectivamente. Quinze animais, com peso médio inicial de 298kg e idade de 30 meses, foram distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em três lotes, com cinco repetições. Os fenos utilizados foram: feno de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã, feno de Panicum maximum cv. Massai, e feno de Stylosantes capitata/macrocephala cv. Campo Grande. Todas as dietas possuíam teores energéticos e proteicos semelhantes, de 63,3% de nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT) e 12,5% de proteína bruta (PB), e eram fornecidas duas vezes ao dia, à vontade. As observações de comportamento ingestivo foram efetuadas em três baterias de 48 horas cada, em intervalos de 28 dias, totalizando 144 horas. Os dados foram interpretados por meio de análise de variância e teste de Tukey. Não foram observadas influências das forrageiras nos tempos de alimentação, ruminação, ócio, interagindo e dormindo, tampouco nas eficiências de alimentação e de ruminação, na ingestão de água e nas excreções de urina e fezes, sendo todas as variáveis estatisticamente iguais. A utilização de qualquer um dos tipos de feno na dieta de novilhas Pantaneiras é recomendada. Palavras-chave: etologia, feno, nutrientes, pecuária SUMMARYThe objective this work was to evaluate the intake and physiological behavior of heifers of the Pantaneira (Bos Taurus taurus) breed, feedlot and fed with different types of hay and concentrate, in a ratio in dry matter of 60:40 %, respectively. Fifteen animals, with an average initial weight of 298 kg and 30 months of age, were distributed through completely randomized design in three batches, with five replicates. The hays were: hay of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piata, hay of Panicum maximum cv. Massai, and hay of leguminous Stylosantes capitata/macrocephala cv. Campo Grande. All diets had similar energy and protein content of 63.3% Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) and 12.5% Crude Protein (CP) and were fed twice a day, ad libitum. The observations of ingestive behavior and physiology were made in three batteries of 48 hours each, an interval of 28 days, totaling 144 hours. The data were interpreted by analysis of variance and Tukey test. There weren't influences of forage in feeding times, rumination, sleeping and interacting; efficiencies in feeding and rumination, water intake and excretion in urine and feaces, and all variables are statistically similar. Therefore, the use of either type of hay in the diet is recommended Pantaneiras heifers.

Behavior of Pantaneira and Girolando Heifers Reared on Pastures in the Four Seasons of the Year

“…Ferro et al (2016) found a significant increase in water consumption of cattle under an intensive system with little shades, from 15.50 to 8.17 times for 0% and 80% light interception, respectively. Oliveira et al (2015) evaluated Pantaneira heifers in a feedlot and found average water intake of 7.6 times a day, which is higher than that found in the present study on pastures (1.3 times). Water demand may be different when considering the playful behavior of the animals and, therefore, not related to water intake requirements, since animals kept in stalls and under permanent shade are not subjected to sudden changes in temperature.…”

“…Feeding and physiological dynamics were evaluated according to a methodology adapted from Garry, Sherritt and Hale(1970) and Oliveira et al (2015), with observations made in the four seasons of the year. Two 24-hour observations were made in each season of the year, totaling eight observations, beginning at 6:00 a.m., totaling 192 hours of observation.…”

“…Pantaneiro cattle were introduced to the Pantanal biome, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, hundreds of years ago by Spanish and Portuguese during the South America colonization. According to Oliveira et al (2015), this breed underwent a natural selection process, which gave them high rusticity, mainly regarding their capacity to withstand high temperatures, periods of intermittent drought and flooding, ectoparasites and endoparasites, and seasonal variations in the quality of forage resources.…”

Shade-seeking behavior and grazing activity of Pantaneira and Girolando heifers

“…Pantaneira cows (Bos taurus taurus) can withstand high temperatures. This breed was introduced into the Brazilian Pantanal hundreds of years ago and went through a natural selection process (Mazza et al 1992;Barbosa et al 2014;Oliveira et al 2015). A recent report determined that there are about 500 purebred Pantaneiros in the country, which are kept in government conservation centers and in private properties (Dani and de Oliveira 2013).…”

“…In animal behavior studies, it is common for data to be acquired through multiple observations over time (Oliveira et al 2015;James et al 2016). In these cases, the relationship between an independent variable and a binary (dichotomous) dependent variable can be established using a binomial regression model.…”