Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermal effect on the behavioral and physiological changes of Girolando heifers by means of principal components analysis. The research was conducted in the Agreste region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Three heifers submitted to the cont...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pedro H. D. Batista, Gledson L. P. de Almeida, Héliton Pandorfi, Airon A. S. de Melo, Alex S. Moraes, Cristiane Guiselini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
Series:Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-43662019000400303&lng=en&tlng=en
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850244921169018880
author Pedro H. D. Batista
Gledson L. P. de Almeida
Héliton Pandorfi
Airon A. S. de Melo
Alex S. Moraes
Cristiane Guiselini
author_facet Pedro H. D. Batista
Gledson L. P. de Almeida
Héliton Pandorfi
Airon A. S. de Melo
Alex S. Moraes
Cristiane Guiselini
author_sort Pedro H. D. Batista
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermal effect on the behavioral and physiological changes of Girolando heifers by means of principal components analysis. The research was conducted in the Agreste region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Three heifers submitted to the continuous grazing system were used. For the determination of the thermal effect on the animals, the variables dry bulb temperature and relative air humidity were recorded, which allowed to determine the temperature and humidity index and the specific enthalpy. The physiological variables monitored were the respiratory rate, rectal temperature and skin temperature. The quantified behavioral indicators were walking, drinking, eating, ruminating and leisure, to determine the percentage of time spent in each behavior. The variables of the study were submitted to exploratory and descriptive analysis, in order to infer the degree of association of the main components. The multivariate analysis allowed to establish the degree of pertinence between the physiological signs and behavioral patterns associated with the thermal environment, which indicated heifers adaptation to continuous grazing, even in critical meteorological conditions.
format Article
id doaj-art-a7991c92b6cb441aaa602cfb257fbb19
institution OA Journals
issn 1807-1929
language English
publisher Universidade Federal de Campina Grande
record_format Article
series Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental
spelling doaj-art-a7991c92b6cb441aaa602cfb257fbb192025-08-20T01:59:35ZengUniversidade Federal de Campina GrandeRevista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental1807-192923430330810.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v23n4p303-308S1415-43662019000400303Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasturePedro H. D. BatistaGledson L. P. de AlmeidaHéliton PandorfiAiron A. S. de MeloAlex S. MoraesCristiane GuiseliniABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermal effect on the behavioral and physiological changes of Girolando heifers by means of principal components analysis. The research was conducted in the Agreste region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Three heifers submitted to the continuous grazing system were used. For the determination of the thermal effect on the animals, the variables dry bulb temperature and relative air humidity were recorded, which allowed to determine the temperature and humidity index and the specific enthalpy. The physiological variables monitored were the respiratory rate, rectal temperature and skin temperature. The quantified behavioral indicators were walking, drinking, eating, ruminating and leisure, to determine the percentage of time spent in each behavior. The variables of the study were submitted to exploratory and descriptive analysis, in order to infer the degree of association of the main components. The multivariate analysis allowed to establish the degree of pertinence between the physiological signs and behavioral patterns associated with the thermal environment, which indicated heifers adaptation to continuous grazing, even in critical meteorological conditions.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-43662019000400303&lng=en&tlng=enprincipal componentsanimal thermal comfortanimal adaptability
spellingShingle Pedro H. D. Batista
Gledson L. P. de Almeida
Héliton Pandorfi
Airon A. S. de Melo
Alex S. Moraes
Cristiane Guiselini
Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture
Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental
principal components
animal thermal comfort
animal adaptability
title Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture
title_full Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture
title_fullStr Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture
title_full_unstemmed Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture
title_short Multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of Girolando heifers in pasture
title_sort multivariate analysis of the behavior and physiology of girolando heifers in pasture
topic principal components
animal thermal comfort
animal adaptability
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-43662019000400303&lng=en&tlng=en
work_keys_str_mv AT pedrohdbatista multivariateanalysisofthebehaviorandphysiologyofgirolandoheifersinpasture
AT gledsonlpdealmeida multivariateanalysisofthebehaviorandphysiologyofgirolandoheifersinpasture
AT helitonpandorfi multivariateanalysisofthebehaviorandphysiologyofgirolandoheifersinpasture
AT aironasdemelo multivariateanalysisofthebehaviorandphysiologyofgirolandoheifersinpasture
AT alexsmoraes multivariateanalysisofthebehaviorandphysiologyofgirolandoheifersinpasture
AT cristianeguiselini multivariateanalysisofthebehaviorandphysiologyofgirolandoheifersinpasture