Linseed oil supplementation alters milk fatty acid profile, mitigates heat stress, and improves summer milk yield in grazing dairy cows.

Dietary supplementation of fat can be an important source of energy to compensate for the reduction in dry matter intake in dairy cows during heat stress periods. Studies have reported that supplementing dairy cow diets with linseed oil (LO) can increase milk yield and enhance the levels of beneficial fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids, in the milk. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of LO supplementation on milk fatty acids profile, milk yield and composition, and physiological parameters of grazing cows. The study was conducted in two seasons, one in spring and one in summer. A 2 × 2 Latin square design was used in each experiment. Twelve Holstein and crossbred Holstein x Jersey cows were involved in each season. Cows were divided into two groups: control (TC) with no supplementation and treatment (TL) supplemented with 400 g/day of LO. The results showed that LO supplementation altered the milk fatty acid profile: decreased concentrations of short and medium-chain fatty acids (C10:0 - C17:1) except for C13:0 and increased concentrations of long-chain fatty acids (C18, C18:1 (both trans and cis isomers), C18:2 (specific conjugated linoleic acid - CLA isomers), and C18:3 n3 (omega-3)). Additionally, milk yield increased by 1.5 l per day during summer in LO-supplemented cows, while milk fat, protein, and casein content decreased. Milk stability increased by 2.2% in the LO-supplemented group. LO-supplemented cows reduced internal body temperature and heart frequency in the afternoon and increased daily rumination time by 20 min. In conclusion, LO supplementation can be an effective strategy to improve the nutritional profile of milk by altering fatty acid composition towards potentially healthier fats, mitigate the negative effects of heat stress on grazing cows during summer, as evidenced by reduced body temperature and heart frequency and increase milk yield.

Climate change impacts on livestock in Brazil.

Brazilian livestock provides a significant fraction of the food consumed globally, making the country one of the largest producers and exporters of meat, milk and eggs. However, current advances in the production of protein from Brazilian animal origin may be directly impacted by climate change and the resulting biophysical effects. Therefore, it is strategically consistent to develop measures to deal with the resulting environmental heat stress on domesticated animal species, especially the need in developing countries. This work aims to (1) evaluate the impacts of climate change on livestock (cattle-dairy, cattle-beef, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry-general) in different regions of Brazil and (2) discuss possible response strategies, associated with animal comfort and welfare. From our results, we can draw better strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on livestock production. The results presented show an increase of high heat stress in South and Southeast and an increase of extreme heat stress in North and Central-West areas of Brazil. The rise in extreme heat stress tends to occur mostly during spring and summer and tends to vary considering the different evaluated species. Within the evaluated species, the ones that seem to be more affected by climate changes are Poultry, pigs, cattle-beef and general (temperature-humidity index value). The differences between the results for the five geographic regions in Brazil suggests that different mitigation measures need to be considered to cope with future heat stress in livestock. To ensure the long-term success of Brazil's influence on the global market for proteins of animal origin, it must achieve sustainable production systems more intensively.

Impact of heat stress on genetic evaluation of oocyte and embryo production in Gir dairy cattle.

Identifying and selecting genotypes tolerant to heat stress might improve reproductive traits in dairy cattle, including oocyte and embryo production. The temperature-humidity index (THI) was used, via random regression models, to investigate the impact of heat stress on genetic parameters and breeding values of oocyte and embryo production in Gir dairy cattle. We evaluated records of total oocytes (TO), viable oocytes (VO), cleaved embryos (CE), and viable embryos (VE) from dairy Gir donors. Twenty-four models were tested, considering age at ovum pick-up (AOPU) and THI means as a regressor in the genetic evaluation. We computed THI in eight periods, from 0 to 112 days before ovum pick-up, which were adjusted by different orders of Legendre polynomials (second, third, and fourth). The best-fit model according to Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and Model Posterior Probabilities (MPP) considered Legendre polynomials of third order and THI means of 112 days for TO, fourth order and 56 days for VO, second order and 28 days for CE, and second order and 42 days for VE, respectively. The heritability (h2) estimates across AOPU and THI scales ranged from 0.34 to 0.62 for TO, 0.31 to 0.58 for VO, 0.26 to 0.39 for CE, and 0.15 to 0.26 for VE, respectively. The fraction of the phenotypic variance explained by the permanent environment in different AOPU and THI scales ranged from 0.03 to 0.25 for TO, 0.05 to 0.26 for VO, 0.09 to 0.36 for CE, and 0.15 to 0.27 for VE, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation between the estimated breeding values in different AOPU and THI scale from the top 5% sires and females ranged from 0.18 to 0.90 for TO, 0.31 to 0.95 for VO, 0.14 to 0.85 for CE, and 0.47 to 0.94 for VE, respectively. The h2 estimates for all evaluated traits varied from moderate to high magnitude across AOPU and THI scales, indicating that genetic selection can result in rapid genetic progress for the evaluated traits. There was a reranking among the best animals in different AOPU and THI. It is possible to select dairy Gir cattle tolerant to heat stress to improve oocyte and embryo production.

The Effect of Month of Harvesting and Temperature-Humidity Index on the Number and Quality of Oocytes and In Vitro Embryo Production in Holstein Cows and Heifers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the month of oocyte harvesting and the temperature-humidity index on oocyte number and quality harvested from Holstein cows and heifers, oocyte developmental competence, and total embryos produced in an area of intense ambient temperature for most of the year. A total of 5064 multiparous lactating cows and 2988 nulliparous heifers were used as oocyte donors and distributed across the months of the year. Overall, total oocytes per collection did not differ (p > 0.05) between cows (16.6 ± 2.7) and heifers (15.1 ± 1.8), but oocyte developmental competence was lower (p < 0.05) in cows (21.3 ± 5.4) than heifers (25.5 ± 4.0). For cows, the total number of oocytes harvested was two-fold higher (p < 0.05) in November than in May. For heifers, the total number of oocytes harvested was highest in April (17.19 ± 0.53) and lowest in May (10.94 ± 0.32; p < 0.05). For cows, total embryos were highest in November (2.58 ± 0.42) and lowest in August (1.28 ± 0.10; p < 0.05). Thus, taken together, these results indicate that severe heat stress impaired the number and quality of oocytes harvested from donor Holstein multiparous cows and heifers, oocyte developmental competence, and total embryos produced in this area of intense ambient temperature for most of the year.

Expression profiling of heat shock protein genes in whole blood of Romosinuano cattle breed.

Background and Aim: Heat shock proteins are highly conserved proteins that work as molecular chaperones expressed in response to thermal stress. This study aimed to determine the expression profile of genes related to the heat stress response in whole blood obtained from the Romosinuano creole breed. Materials and Methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze the transcript of hsp90, hsp70, hsp60, and hsf1 in the whole blood of Romosinuano under different temperature-humidity indices (THIs). Results: The expression levels of the hsp70 and hsf1 genes at the high-THI level were higher (p = 0.0011 and p = 0.0003, respectively) than those at the low-THI level. In addition, no differences in the expression levels of the hsp60 and hsP90 genes were detected between the two THIs. Conclusion: The overexpression of hsf1 and hsp70 genes play an important role in protecting cells from damage induced by heat stress.

Heat stress on breeding value prediction for milk yield and composition of a Brazilian Holstein cattle population.

Due to the high milk production of Holstein cows, many countries have chosen to import semen to improve local dairy herds. This strategy would be more effective if this semen was used in the same environment conditions in which the bulls were selected. If the effect of genotype by environment (G × E) interaction is not considered, the estimated breeding values (EBVs) may vary, potentially reducing the selection response. We evaluate the impact of heat stress on selection for milk yield and composition of Holstein cows using random regression models. To verify the interference of heat stress in milk yield (MY) and composition traits (fat, protein, total saturated, and total unsaturated fatty acids content in milk), temperature-humidity index (THI) on test-day milk records was used. The threshold value to divide the environments using test-day information from Brazilian Holstein cows was 72 units of THI, i.e., < 72 represented no heat stress and > 72 represented heat stress. Legendre polynomials of second-order (Leg 2) model and two lactation points (33 and 122 DIM) were used to estimate heritabilities and EBVs for five important dairy traits. The heritabilities of milk components and fatty acids were low (0.09-0.29), regardless of lactation period and degree of heat stress, with the exception of protein content (0.30-0.35). Fat content was the only milk component that was reduced according to the degree of heat stress and lactation period. The EBVs tended to decrease in heat stress conditions, thus animals with high genetic potential demonstrated evidence of G × E interaction. However, acclimatization of dairy cows to heat stress in the farm production systems may have been responsible for the low differences among genetic parameters and EBVs with and without heat stress found in this study.

Identical thermal stress coupled with different temperature and humidity combinations affects nutrient digestibility and gut metabolites of laying hens

The present study investigated whether the same temperature-humidity index (THI) values under different conditions of air temperature and relative humidity (RH) would affect the thermoregulatory, nutritional, and behavioral responses of laying hens. One hundred twenty Hy-Line Brown laying hens (60-weeks-old) were divided equally in two environmental chambers: 26 °C with 70% RH (hRH75) and 30 °C with 30% RH (hT75) for 28 days. The two ambient environments (hRH75 and hT75) had an identical THI value of 75, calculated using an empirical formula for laying hens. Neither hRH75 nor hT75 affected rectal and body-surface temperatures and heart and respiratory rates. The concentration of volatile fatty acids in fecal excreta were altered by the thermal treatments. hT75 vs. hRH75 decreased the proportion of acetate and increased the proportion of propionate in fecal samples. hT75 vs. hRH75 lowered the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber at 14 days. Thermal treatments did not affect heat stress-associated behavioral responses including feeding, drinking, panting, and wing elevation at any stage. Laying hens exposed to the same THI at different temperatures and RH exhibit equal physiological responses including rectal and body-surface temperatures, heart and respiratory rates, and behavioral responses. Nonetheless, high-temperature treatment (hT75; 30 °C and 30% RH) vs. low temperature treatment (hRH75; 26 °C and 70% RH) affects nutrient digestibility and gut metabolites, suggesting that there are negligible but discernable responses to temperature in the gut physiology.(AU)

Climate Parameters in the Trailer During the Transportation of One-Day-Old-Chicks

Various problems may arise during the road transportation of one-day-old broiler chickens from hatcheries to rearing houses. In this study, the transportation vehicles of a private company operating in the Bursa Region were physically examined, and the climate parameters of the trailer were observed. During these observations the exposure of animals to heat stress was measured, and the loss of life during transportation was revealed. Thirteen data logger values were placed in the trailer and their readings were recorded. While the highest heat stress is in the summer and the heat stress is the highest in the front and middle parts of the trailer, the least are in the first row and the last row in vehicles that use natural ventilation in the summer and mechanical air conditioning in the winter.(AU)

Suckling behavior, performance, and Kleiber index in calves of different genetic groups under shaded and unshaded environments.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat stress on the suckling behavior and performance of Nelore (NE), ½ Nelore × ½ Angus (NA), and ½ Nelore × ½ Pantaneiro (NP) crossbred calves, in environments shaded or unshaded, using the temperature-humidity index (THI) and Kleiber index (KI) equations. Twenty-five animals were evaluated, from 30 days of age distributed as follows: 9 NE, 8 NA, and 8 NP calves, from 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., under shaded and unshaded environments. Data were collected on number of suckling episodes per day (NS), mean suckling duration (MSD), surface body temperature (SBT), THI, weight gain, and KI. THI showed difference (P < 0.05) between environments, being lower in the shaded area. NA cattle had higher SBT (33.00 ± 2.31), differing (P < 0.05) from NE (31.71 ± 1.65) and NP (31.38 ± 1.99), and lower (P < 0.05) suckling activity, suggesting reduced thermal comfort. However, their weight gain and KI were higher, differing (P < 0.05) from the other genetic groups. NE and NP cattle did not differ (P > 0.05) in weight gain and KI. Thus, the results suggest that NA calves, despite the greater thermal discomfort, used thermolysis mechanisms to maintain higher weight gain and feed efficiency (KI) than the other groups. NP showed greater thermal adaptability, in addition to weight gain and KI similar to NE cattle.

Influence of tropical, subtropical, and temperate climate conditions on seminal redox status and sperm quality parameters in breeding bulls.

This study evaluated the effect of climate change on andrological parameters of beef bulls raised under tropical, subtropical, and temperate conditions. Bull ejaculates were collected to evaluate seminal quality parameters, sperm membrane integrity, and redox status (SOD; GPx; GSH; GRx; CARB; DCF; and SOD/GPx ratio). Bulls located in the temperate region showed a higher sperm motility rate and percentage of viable sperm (P < 0.05). When evaluating regions independently, we observed a lower GPx activity from animals in the tropical region (P < 0.05). In contrast, we found that SOD and GRx activities, GSH content, and CARB oxidative levels were higher in the tropical region, while oxidation values of DCF were lower (P < 0.05). Braford bulls showed higher CARB and DCF levels (1.23 ± 0.61 nmol/mg and 1453.60 ± 828.63 nmol/mg, respectively) compared to Hereford bulls (1.00 ± 0.43 nmol/mg and 1138.70 ± 423.24 nmol/mg, respectively) in the temperate region. However, Nellore bulls showed higher DCF levels (650.50 ± 401.53 nmol/mg) than Braford bulls (409.40 ± 286.97 nmol/mg). In addition, the SOD/GPx ratio was lower in Braford (12.44 ± 7.64 U/mg) compared to Nellore bulls in tropical conditions (87.25 ± 2.83 U/mg). A positive correlation was found in temperate conditions between DCF levels, SOD, and GRx activities (0.51, 0.58; P < 0.01, respectively), as well as in subtropical conditions between DCF levels and GRx activity (0.53; P < 0.01). A negative correlation between the temperature-humidity index and CARB content was found in subtropical and tropical regions (-0.44; P < 0.01). We concluded that Braford breeds showed lower seminal motility, DCF contents and SOD/GPx ratios compared to Nellore bulls in tropical climate conditions. Finally, in temperate environmental conditions, Braford bulls also showed lower seminal motility but higher levels of CARB and DCF contents compared to Hereford bulls. Therefore, the existence of climatic differences between the temperate and tropical regions evaluated affected Braford bulls' seminal motility and seminal redox homeostasis.

Carcass traits and meat quality of lambs slaughtered during different seasonal conditions.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of slaughtering feedlot Texel lambs during different climatic conditions on carcass and meat quality traits. Twenty castrated male Texel lambs (21.8 ± 0.62 kg) were distributed to two treatments according to the climatic conditions during the finishing period and at pre-slaughter: warm season (WS; mean temperature of 23.4 °C and 77.5% relative humidity) and cool season (CS; mean temperature of 14.9 °C and 79.5% relative humidity). During the pre-slaughter, thermal comfort was evaluated through the variables: respiratory frequency, rectal temperature, temperature of the ocular region, and temperature-humidity index (THI). After the finishing period, lambs were slaughtered, and carcass and meat quality traits were assessed. The THI values indicate that animals harvested in the WS spent 13 h of the day under potential thermal discomfort conditions in the week before slaughter and in the pre-slaughter period, whereas lambs harvested in the CS did not experience any thermal discomfort. Slaughter weight, carcass weight, carcass dressing, and backfat thickness were greater (P ≤ 0.03), whereas cooling losses were lower (P < 0.01) for lambs slaughtered in the CS. Moreover, thawing losses were lower (P < 0.01), whereas cooking losses were greater (P < 0.01) for lambs harvested in the CS. Lambs slaughtered in the CS also showed greater meat redness, yellowness, and chroma values (P < 0.05). Although carcass traits were affected by the greater thermal discomfort exposure, meat quality of lambs was less impacted by the climatic conditions at slaughter.

Temperature-humidity index and reproductive performance of dairy cattle farms in Lima, Peru.

Background: Heat stress results in a mild reduction in milk production, while long-term heat stress exposure can severely affect the productive and reproductive performance in dairy cattle. Aim: To quantify the relationship between reproductive performance and temperature-humidity index in dairy cattle farms in Lima, Peru. Methods: Monthly service, conception, and pregnancy rates were measured from four dairy farms in four different Lima localities as reproductive performance indicators, along with an index of heat stress and maximum daily temperature-humidity index (max THI), during a 3-year period. In order to establish the relationship between the max THI and the reproductive performance indicators, a multiple regression analysis was carried out, which considered farm and year as explicative variables. Results: The regression model showed an adjusted R2 of 33.5% with an estimated standard error of 5.75% and was highly significant (p < 0.001). The regression coefficients for max THI for the variables pregnancy rate and conception rate were significant (p < 0.0001). With every increasing unit of max THI, a 0.84% drop in the pregnancy rate and a 1.74% drop in the conception rate were estimated by the model. The regression coefficient of max THI for the service rate variable was not significant. Conclusion: It was concluded that the increase in max THI significantly affected the reproductive performance of intensive dairy cattle farms in Lima.

Physiological adaptability of pregnant doe Kacang goats in a dry-land-area of Indonesia

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the physiological adaptability of pregnant doe Kacang goats in a dryland area of Indonesia. Thirty pregnant doe Kacang goats aged 2-3 years were observed. The rearing system was semiintensive without giving concentrated feeds. Local grasses and legumes such as Leucaena leucocephala leaves, Gliricidia sepium leaves, Sesbania grandiflora leaves, and drinking water were offered ad libitum. Experimental data such as respiration rate, rectal temperature, adaptability coefficient, heart rate, and heat tolerance coefficient, were collected during 2-3 months of gestation. The mean and standard deviation were calculated using a descriptive analysis method. The average humidity in the morning and afternoon and the ambient temperature in the middle of the day were outside the normal range. The THI value indicates that the experimental animals are under medium heat stress. The average values of HTC, AC, RT, HR, and RR were still typical for goats. In conclusion, although the average ambient temperature at midday and humidity in the morning and afternoon were outside of the normal range, they did not cause any effects on feed and water intake, health, and fetus growth and development of pregnant doe Kacang goats. This happened because the Kacang goat is a local breed that can adapt well to extreme environments. Therefore, pregnant doe Kacang goats in Malaka District can be allowed to graze in the paddock throughout the day and housed at night.

Genetic effects of heat stress on milk fatty acids in Brazilian Holstein cattle.

The present study aimed to estimate covariance components of milk fatty acids (FA) and to compare the genomic estimated breeding values under general and heat-stress effects. Data consisted of 38,762 test-day records from 6,344 Holstein cows obtained from May 2012 through January 2018 on 4 dairy herds from Brazil. Single-trait repeatability test-day models with random regressions as a function of temperature-humidity index values were used for genetic analyses. The models included contemporary groups, parity order (1-6), and days in milk classes as fixed effects, and general and thermotolerance additive genetic and permanent environmental as random effects. Notably, differences in heritability estimates between environments (general and heat stress) increased (0.03 to 0.06) for unsaturated FA traits, such as unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated, at higher heat-stress levels. In contrast, heritability estimated between environments for saturated FA traits, including saturated FA, palmitic acid (C16:0), and stearic acid (C18:0) did not observe significant differences between environments. In addition, our study revealed negative genetic correlations between general and heat-stress additive genetic effects (antagonistic effect) for the saturated FA, C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1, which ranged from -0.007 to -0.32. Spearman's ranking correlation between genomic estimated breeding values ranged from -0.27 to 0.99. Results indicated a moderate to strong interaction of genotype by the environment for most FA traits comparing a heat-stress environment with thermoneutral conditions. Our findings point out novel opportunities to explore the use of FA milk profile and heat-stress models.

Climatic factors affecting gestational length in mares under subtropical climate.

The aim of this study was (i) to evaluate the relationship of climatic factors with gestational length (GL) and (ii) to evaluate the relationship of sire, foal gender and maternal factors with GL in mares. Retrospective data from 470 gestations of 202 respective mares were collected from a Criollo breeding farm in the southern hemisphere. GL was considered as the interval between ovulation and parturition. Climatic and environmental data (temperature, relative humidity, daily sunshine hours, precipitation, temperature humidity index - THI) were obtained daily and the mean values for foaling month and season were calculated. A multiple factor analysis of variance was performed to determine the relationship of the independent variables and interactions related to the mare, foal gender and stallion, and those related to the weather in each season of the year with GL as the dependent variable. The mean ± standard error (SE) of GL for the 470 gestations was 337 ± 0.4 days with a range of 311-363 days. Young-primiparous mares (340±0.9) had longer gestations (P < .001) than young-multiparous (336 ± 0.7) and mature-multiparous (334 ± 0.7) mares. Foal gender had no effect on GL. Gestational length was found to be affected by the stallion. Mares which experienced an autumn and winter gestational period with less daily sunshine hours had an increased GL (P < .05). In conclusion, environmental and climatic factors during pregnancy influenced the GL in mares, specifically, daily sunshine hours, precipitation and THI presented a negative correlation with GL. Young-primiparous Criollo mares presented longer gestational lengths than young or mature multiparous mares.

Evaluation of different cooling management strategies for lactating Holstein × Gir dairy cows.

Heat stress negatively impacts production, reproduction, and health of ruminants and strategies to alleviate these losses are warranted. Therefore, four experiments evaluated different cooling strategies on vaginal temperature (VT) of Holstein × Gir cows. Experiment 1 compared different amounts of water (2- or 4-L) over a 1-hour period from 1000 to 1100 h and 1600 to 1700 h. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of sprinkling duration (in hours; 1- or 2-H), whereas Experiment 3 evaluated the effects of water amount (4- or 8-L) applied for 1- or 2-H. Lastly, the effects of a cooling strategy on specific hours of the day, starting at either 0700 (T-1) or 1100 h (T-2; Experiment 4), were evaluated. In all experiments, 12 Holstein × Gir cows were used in a 2 × 2 Latin Square Design containing two periods of 6 days each. Temperature and humidity index (THI) were recorded hourly and VT was recorded every 10-min throughout the experiments. As expected, an hour effect was observed for THI (P < 0.0001), which peaked early in the afternoon. In Experiment 1, a treatment × hour interaction was observed (P < 0.0001) for VT, as animals assigned to receive 4-L had a reduced VT at 1100, 1600, 1700, and 2300 h (P ≤ 0.03). During the cooling applications, cows receiving 4-L for 1 h had a reduced VT from 60 to 150 min (P ≤ 0.04). In Experiment 2, a treatment × hour interaction was observed (P < 0.0001) for VT, as animals assigned to receive 4-L of water for 2-H had a reduced VT at 1200 h (P = 0.05). Moreover, during the cooling process, VT was reduced for 2-H cows from 140 to 170 min after the beginning of the cooling process (P ≤ 0.05). In Experiment 3, animals assigned to receive 4-L + 2H had a reduced VT at 1200, 1700, 1800, and 1900 h (P < 0.001). A treatment × hour interaction was observed (P < 0.0001), as VT was reduced for 4-L + 2-H cows from 130 to 180 min after the beginning of the cooling process (P ≤ 0.05). In Experiment 4, by the time when the first cooling cycle of T-1 was applied (0700 h), T-1 cows consistently had (P ≤ 0.05) a reduced VT up to the hottest hours and greatest THI of the day (1400 and 1500 h). This pattern was maintained until the end of the last cooling cycle, whereas T-2 cows had a reduced VT. In summary, 4 L of water over a 5-min cycle for a period of 2 hours twice a day maintained VT of Holstein × Gir cows at lower levels. Moreover, the hour at which the first cooling cycle starts also should be considered when evaluating the efficacy of a cooling strategy for an entire day.

Inclusion of bioclimatic variables in genetic evaluations of dairy cattle.

OBJECTIVE: Considering the importance of dairy farming and the negative effects of heat stress, more tolerant genotypes need to be identified. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of heat stress via temperature-humidity index (THI) and diurnal temperature variation (DTV) in the genetic evaluations for daily milk yield of Holstein dairy cattle, using random regression models. METHODS: The data comprised 94,549 test-day records of 11,294 first parity Holstein cows from Brazil, collected from 1997 to 2013, and bioclimatic data (THI and DTV) from 18 weather stations. Least square linear regression models were used to determine the THI and DTV thresholds for milk yield losses caused by heat stress. In addition to the standard model (SM, without bioclimatic variables), THI and DTV were combined in various ways and tested for different days, totaling 41 models. RESULTS: The THI and DTV thresholds for milk yield losses was THI = 74 (-0.106 kg/d/THI) and DTV = 13 (-0.045 kg/d/DTV). The model that included THI and DTV as fixed effects, considering the two-day average, presented better fit (-2logL, Akaike information criterion, and Bayesian information criterion). The estimated breeding values (EBVs) and the reliabilities of the EBVs improved when using this model. CONCLUSION: Sires are re-ranking when heat stress indicators are included in the model. Genetic evaluation using the mean of two days of THI and DTV as fixed effect, improved EBVs and EBVs reliability.

Climate change vulnerability of confined livestock systems predicted using bioclimatic indexes in an arid region of México.

Climate change is a major world-wide challenge to livestock production because food security is likely to be compromised by increased heat stress of the animals. The objective of this study was to characterize, using bioclimatic indexes, two livestock regions located in an arid zone of México, and to use this information to predict the impact of global warming on animal production systems of these regions located in the state of Baja California (México). A 5-year database (i.e., 2011 to 2015) consisting of about one million data points from two zones (i.e., coast, valley) from four meteorological stations in the north of Baja California were used. Bioclimatic indexes were constructed for the four types of livestock production systems most common in this region, being: dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, pigs. The temperature-humidity index (THI) thresholds used to classify heat stress were determined and scaled for each livestock species as: THIbeef and THIpig 74 units; THImilk 72 units; and THIsheep 23 units. Statistical differences between indices were detected (P < 0.01) during summer for the valley and coast zones as (THIbeef = 72.9 and 51.8; THImilk = 80.6 and 67.4; THIpigs = 83.9 and 65.2; THIsheep = 29.5 and 20.1 units). Coast zone weather did not suggest vulnerability of livestock production systems to heat stress at any time of the year, but heat stress risk during summer for valley zone dairy cattle, sheep and pigs was classified as severe, but lower for feedlot cattle. Prediction models showed significant adjustment just in the coastal zone for THImilk, THIsheep, and THIsheep, suggesting more impact of global warming during summer in the coastal zone. Use of management strategies to reduce heat load of domestic animals during summer in northern Baja California is essential to maintain their productivity, with more emphasis in the valley zone.

Effect of temperature - humidity index on the onset of post- partum ovarian activity and reproductive behavior in Bos indicus cows.

The effect of climatic factors on ovarian activity and reproductive behavior (RB) was evaluated in 46 Bos indicus cows kept under grazing conditions. Temperature-humidity index (THI) was used as an indicator of stress and divided in alert, damage and emergency levels. Fat thickness (FAT) was taken during the last trimester of gestation (LTG) to approximately 90d postpartum (PP). At 30d PP animals received a progesterone (P4)-releasing device (CIDR) which was withdrawn 9d later. Ovarian activity was assessed by blood progesterone on days 21, 24, 27, 30, 49, 51, and 54 PP. Animals were divided into three groups, higher, and moderate RB and non-behavior. Sixty percent presented a THI >74 increasing dramatically from June to September up to >78. During LTG, animals lost 27% of their body reserves contrasting to PP where an increase of 2.6% (P=0.002) was observed. The percentages of cyclic and non-cyclic animals were 57 and 43%, respectively (P> 0.05). Seventy-two percent displayed RB and 28% were non-behavior (P<0.05). A negative correlation (r = -0.307; P = 0.038) between THI and RB, and a positive correlation (r = 0.427; P = 0.003) between the onset of ovarian activity and RB were observed. Differences in THI during the LTG (P<0.01) were observed between cyclic and non-cyclic animals. Non-behavior cows in the LTG had a higher THI (P <0.05). High levels of THI have a negative effect on the resumption of ovarian activity and RB in Bos indicus especially if high THI occurs during the last trimester of gestation.

Genotype by environment interaction due to heat stress during gestation and postpartum for milk production of Holstein cattle.

Remarkable increases in the production of dairy animals have negatively impacted their tolerance to heat stress (HS). The evaluation of the effect of HS on milk yield is based on the direct impact of HS on performance. However, in practical terms, HS also exerts its influence during gestation (indirect effect). The main purpose of this study was to identify and characterize the genotype by environment interaction (G × E) due to HS during the last 60 days of gestation (THI_g) and also the HS postpartum (THI_m) over first lactation milk production of Brazilian Holstein cattle. A total of 389 127 test day milk yield (TD) records from 1572 first lactation Holstein cows born in Brazil (daughters of 1248 dams and 70 sires) and the corresponding temperature-humidity index (THI) obtained between December 2007 and January 2013 were analyzed using different random regression models. Cows in the cold environment (THI_g = 64 to 73) during the last 60 days of gestation produced more milk than those cows in a hot environment (THI_g = 74 to 84), particularly during the first 150 days of lactation (DIM). The heritabilities (h2) of TD were similar throughout DIM for cows in THI_g hot (0.11 to 0.20) or (0.10 to 0.22), while the genetic correlations (rg) for TD between these two environments ranged from 0.11 to 0.52 along the first 250 DIM. The h2 estimates for TD across THI_m were similar for cows in THI_g hot (0.07 to 0.25) and THI_g cold (0.08 to 0.19). The rg estimates ranged from 0.17 to 0.42 along THI_m between TD of cows in cold and hot THI_g. The results were consistent in demonstrating the existence of an additional source of G × E for TD due to THI_g and THI_m. The present study is probably the first to provide evidence of this source of G × E; further research is needed because of its importance when the breeding objective is to select animals that are more tolerant to HS.