Effect of Silvopastoral Systems in the Thermoregulatory and Feeding Behaviors of Water Buffaloes Under Different Conditions of Heat Stress

Abstract

Buffaloes use wallowing behavior to release excess heat in tropical conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of silvopastoral systems in the feeding and thermoregulatory behavior of water buffaloes under moderate and intense heat stress. The behavior of water buffaloes was evaluated in two different production systems. The conventional system with Guinea grass ( Megathyrsus maximus ) only, and the silvopastoral system with Guinea grass and Leucaena leucocephala trees. The relation between the frequency of animal activities and the length of time the animals engaged in each activity was measured during the day time (6:00–18:00 h) by visual observations at 10-min intervals. The results obtained suggest that buffaloes use tree shade to partially supplement wallowing. Feeding behavior increased under intense heat stress in the silvopastoral system indicating that it can be a promising alternative to improve the buffaloes rearing conditions in the tropics.

Thermoregulatory and Feeding Behavior under Different Management and Heat Stress Conditions in Heifer Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in the Tropics

“…The study was conducted in Périco, Matanzas, Cuba, located at 22°48′7″ latitude north and 81°1′ longitude west (19.01 msm), in hydrated red ferralitic soil under climatic conditions [ 2 ] that were previously described by Galloso-Hernández et al [ 11 ]. Buffaloes used were heifers of 12–18 months of age with an average weight of 167.9 kg (at the beginning of the experimental period) and subjected to the management regime outlined by Galloso-Hernández et al [ 11 ]. The animals engaged in grazing pasture during the day and were taken to a paddock at night.…”

“…Housing systems and pastoral systems with different forest arrangements for buffaloes are known in Latin American countries [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. For example, buffaloes housed with artificial shade and water sprinklers for cooling in a monocropping natural grass system are observed in the wallowing area to release excess heat [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Selectivity of Leguminous Trees by Water Buffaloes in Semi-intensive Systems

“…In the morning, the animals were moved to the paddocks, where the availability of feed was 2.45 Ton/ha of dry matter (DM), and from 18:00 h the animals had access to the leaves of the four species in the feeders (Figure 1). Grass availability was determined by the visual estimation method and the botanical composition was measured as previously described (6,39). During the experiment, we collected five grass samples and one sample per tree leaf type.…”

“…The advantages of using buffaloes in tropical environments are the resistance to heat stress under shade (6,7), and the fact that it allows this species to maintain birth rates above 80%, which is higher than cattle in similar conditions (8). However, the milk production per hectare (ha) is lower than cattle due to the low stocking rates (0.6-0.8 animals/ha) currently used to breed buffaloes (8,9).…”

“…Tropical tree species are included in pastures in the form of silvopastoral systems. The incorporation of Leucaena leucocephala (13), Albizia lebbeck (16), Gliricidia sepium, and Moringa oleifera (17,18) in silvopastoral systems improves the quality of feed for ruminants and decreases the impact of environmental stressors on the animals (6). The use of trees as a source of feed for ruminants has been ignored due to the limited understanding of their positive impact on production systems (19).…”