A systematic review of the effects of silvopastoral system on thermal environment and dairy cows' behavioral and physiological responses.

Does the silvopastoral system (SPS) promote a satisfactory thermal environment for dairy cows to perform their natural behaviors and perform a suitable thermoregulatory function? To answer this, peer-reviewed articles, written in English and evaluating the effects of silvopastoral systems on thermal environment, dairy cows' behavior, and physiology were used in this systematic review; additionally, a bibliometric approach was performed. Web of Science and Google Scholar were used to compile the literature. The resulting articles (1448) underwent a 4-step appraisal process and resulted in 19 articles that fitted our inclusion criteria. Microclimate variables and thermal comfort indicators were the most researched topics (discussed in 89% of studies); 47% of studies addressed cattle behavior and 36% physiological responses. Our review highlights different benefits of silvopastoral systems for grazing dairy cows. For example, the SPS provides a more comfortable thermal environment than treeless pasture, which increases feeding behaviors; furthermore, dairy cows in SPS show lower drinking events, surface temperature, and respiratory rate than cows raised in treeless pasture. However, for nine of the variables related to cows' behavior (e.g., resting, rumination) and physiology responses (e.g., internal temperature), the results of the studies were unclear. Furthermore, behaviors associated with lying down (e.g., idling and rumination) and milk production in SPS were explored only in six and two studies, respectively. These findings provide consistent evidence that the silvopastoral systems are beneficial to thermal comfort of dairy cows; nonetheless, the effect on cows' behavioral and physiological responses is still scarce and unclear.

Mean surface temperature prediction models for broiler chickens-a study of sensible heat flow.

Body surface temperature can be used to evaluate thermal equilibrium in animals. The bodies of broiler chickens, like those of all birds, are partially covered by feathers. Thus, the heat flow at the boundary layer between broilers' bodies and the environment differs between feathered and featherless areas. The aim of this investigation was to use linear regression models incorporating environmental parameters and age to predict the surface temperatures of the feathered and featherless areas of broiler chickens. The trial was conducted in a climate chamber, and 576 broilers were distributed in two groups. In the first trial, 288 broilers were monitored after exposure to comfortable or stressful conditions during a 6-week rearing period. Another 288 broilers were measured under the same conditions to test the predictive power of the models. Sensible heat flow was calculated, and for the regions covered by feathers, sensible heat flow was predicted based on the estimated surface temperatures. The surface temperatures of the feathered and featherless areas can be predicted based on air, black globe or operative temperatures. According to the sensible heat flow model, the broilers' ability to maintain thermal equilibrium by convection and radiation decreased during the rearing period. Sensible heat flow estimated based on estimated surface temperatures can be used to predict animal responses to comfortable and stressful conditions.

Poultry Preslaughter Operations in Hot Environments: The Present Knowledge and the Next Steps Forward.

Poultry production faces significant challenges, including high feed prices, diseases, and thermal stress, which impact broiler welfare and productivity. Despite advances in cooling technologies and ventilation, preslaughter operations still lead to considerable losses. This review highlights the need for the improved management of thermal environments and animal logistics. Preslaughter operations typically involve fasting broilers for 8-12 h to reduce gastrointestinal contents and contamination. Following fasting, broilers are caught, crated, and transported. Stress levels vary based on distance and conditions, with manual catching often causing stress and injuries. Catching should occur during cooler periods to minimise these issues, and transport conditions must be carefully managed. Lairage, the waiting period after transport, should be kept short (1-2 h) in climate-controlled environments to avoid stress and deterioration. Proper handling and efficient unloading are essential to prevent injuries and reduce economic losses. Stunning methods, such as electronarcosis and a controlled atmosphere, aim to minimise suffering before slaughter, though practices vary culturally and religiously. Logistics and real-time monitoring technology are crucial for enhancing animal welfare during transportation. Effective planning and the optimisation of transport processes is vital for reducing stress and losses, especially with regard to rising global temperatures and production demands.

Effects of Heat Stress in Dairy Cows Raised in the Confined System: A Scientometric Review.

Due to climate change, heat stress is a growing problem for the dairy industry. Based on this, annual economic losses in the dairy sector are verified mainly on a large scale. Despite several publications on thermal stress in lactating dairy cows in confinement systems, there need to be published reviews addressing this issue systematically. Our objective was to scientometrically analyze the effects of heat stress in dairy cows managed in a confinement system. Based on PRISMA guidelines, research articles were identified, screened, and summarized based on inclusion criteria for heat stress in a confinement system. Data was obtained from the Web of Science. A total of 604 scientific articles published between 2000 and April 2022 were considered. Data was then analyzed using Microsoft Excel and CiteSpace. The results pointed to a significant increase in studies on heat stress in lactating cows housed in confinement systems. The main research areas were Agriculture, Dairy Animal Science and Veterinary Sciences. The USA showed the highest concentration of studies (31.12%), followed by China (14.90%). Emerging themes included heat stress and behavior. The most influential journals were the Journal of Dairy Science and the Journal of Animal Science. The top authors were L. H. Baumgard and R. J. Collier. The leading institutions were the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, followed by the State University System of Florida and the University of Florida. The study maps the significant research domains on heat stress of lactating cows in confinement systems, discusses implications and explanations and highlights emerging trends.

Factors Influencing Milk Quality and Subclinical Mastitis in Dairy Herds Housed in Compost-Bedded Pack Barn System.

The compost-bedded pack barn (CBPB) system has been increasingly adopted by dairy farms due to its ability to enhance animal comfort and milk production. This study evaluated the associations among bedding characteristics, milk quality and composition, and subclinical mastitis (SCM) occurrence in dairy herds housed in CBPB systems. Over a period of six months, data related to milk quality and udder health and bedding sampling were collected from eight dairy farms. Monthly measurements of the bedding temperature and wind speed inside the CBPB were taken, while temperature and relative humidity data inside the CBPB were recorded using a datalogger. Bedding samples were subjected to analysis of moisture, pH, microbiological count, and carbon/nitrogen ratio. Data on milk composition (fat, protein, milk urea nitrogen, and total solids) and quality (somatic cell count and standard plate count) of bulk tank milk were obtained from DHIA results. Canonical correlation analyses were used to evaluate the association between the analyzed group variables, and linear regression models were used to identify associations between bedding characteristics and SCM occurrence in the studied herds. The bedding characteristics that most influenced milk composition and quality were moisture, temperature at 30 cm depth (T30), and bedding pH. Environmental variables played an important role in bedding composting, as they were closely related to the surface temperature and pH. Overall, 62.71% of the variation in milk quality and composition could be explained by the bedding variables, and 77.50% of the variation in the bedding variables was associated with environmental variables. Median SCM prevalence and incidence were 28.6 and 13.8%, respectively. An increase of 1 °C for T30 resulted in a 0.6% reduction in the prevalence of SCM. Additionally, the bedding surface temperature at 22.3 °C resulted in the highest incidence of SCM (~18.1%). Our results demonstrate the importance of controlling microclimatic conditions in the CBPB to optimize the bedding composting process and milk quality.

Placental Development and Physiological Changes in Pregnant Ewes in Silvopastoral and Open Pasture Systems during the Summer.

This study aimed to analyze the reproductive and physiological changes in ewes subjected to heat stress during pregnancy at UTFPR-Brazil. Twenty-four pregnant crossbred ewes were kept in a silvopastoral system (SP) or an open pasture system (OP) throughout the final trimester of pregnancy. Both systems were stressful, but the SP system had lower air temperature than the OP system (26.0 ± 0.38 and 26.9 ± 0.41 °C, respectively; p = 0.0288). Moreover, the radiant thermal load of the two groups presented a difference of 34 Wm-2 (p = 0.0288), and the grass temperature was also lower in the SP system compared to that in the OP system (23.4 ± 0.37 and 25.6 ± 0.44 °C, respectively; p = 0.0043). The respiratory and heart rates of animals from the OP group were higher than those from the SP group (p < 0.001), but no difference was observed in the mobilization of white blood cells (p = 0.4777), and the neutrophil count was only affected by time (p < 0.0001). As regards placental biometry, placentas in twin pregnancies had a greater membrane area (p = 0.0223), but no differences between the systems were observed in placental weight (p = 0.1522) and the number of cotyledons (p = 0.5457). We concluded that the type of rearing system used affects the thermal comfort of pregnant ewes, and that an SP system can offer more amenable microclimatic conditions, which result in greater comfort for the ewes.

Determination of Thermal, Chemical and Physical Properties of Bedding Materials for Compost Dairy Barns.

The thermal, chemical, and physical properties of compost bedding materials play an important role in every phase of compost production. Based on this, we aimed to assess the thermal, chemical and physical properties of bedding materials for compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns. The database for this study was registered from 42 CBP barns, distributed throughout the state of Kentucky (USA). The thermal conductivity showed a linear relationship with moisture content and bulk density, while thermal resistivity decreased with increasing particle size. The bedding moisture average was 46.8% (±11.5). The average finer index (p < 0.05) was the highest weight percentage (30.1%) in the samples studied. Water-holding capacity (WHC) increased with increasingly fine particle size. The higher bulk density value was 3.6 times that of the lowest bulk density value. The chemical characterization of the bedding material provided the following results: 42.7% (±3.8%) C, 1.6% (±0.4%) N, and 28.2 (±8.0) C:N ratio. However, thermal properties are strongly dependent on particle size. Producers can use the bedding material as fertilizer in their crops, due to the chemical characteristics of the materials. Beds with good physical and chemical properties improve their moisture content.

The Welfare of Dairy Cows in Pasture, Free Stall, and Compost Barn Management Systems in a Brazilian Subtropical Region.

The effect of milk production systems on the welfare of dairy cows has been studied worldwide, but studies that compare pasture-based, compost barn, and free stall systems, according to animal welfare, are more scarce. In this work, the welfare of 51 dairy herds, including 17 from each management system, was investigated through the application of the Welfare Quality® protocol. Descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric method were used to analyze variables. In the present work, the welfare of the evaluated herds was significantly better in the pasture-based system than in the confinement systems. However, the pasture-based system presented weaknesses in providing water resources. The compost barn had fewer animal welfare critical points than the free stall system, as well as it was better than the free stall in measures related to comfort and health. The free stall did not present better scores than the other systems. It is concluded that the welfare of dairy cows is affected by the rearing system, with better scores, in most measures, in the pasture-based system, followed by the compost barn and, finally, the free stall.

Compost Dairy Barn Layout and Management Recommendations in Kentucky: A Descriptive Study.

This study was conducted to describe the building layout and dimensions, characterize the bedding material, and observe the management practices in 42 compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns in Kentucky (USA). The average herd size found in the study was 90 cows and the breeds consisted of Jersey (6.8%), Holstein (72.7%), and mixed (20.5%). The average CBP barn dimensions were 49.1 m (length) by 21.9 m (width). Many of these barns had feed alleys and driveways; overshot ridges with frequent orientation from NE to SW; and green sawdust, kiln-dried sawdust, or a mixture of both as the most common bedding materials. The bed-turning process was performed mechanically at depths of less than 0.25 m, and the loading of fresh material was performed every one to five weeks, varying by season, weather conditions, barn size, and cow density. The average bedding moisture content was found to be 59.0% (wet bulb-w.b.) and ranged from 36.2 to 71.8%. Coliforms were not present in barns that had a higher compost temperature, and the E. coli, Bacillus, and Streptococcus counts were higher in the barns that had a lower moisture content. In conclusion, it was observed that heterogeneous management was used among the barns and that the producers were satisfied with the compost barn system.

A correct enthalpy relationship as thermal comfort index for livestock.

Researchers working with thermal comfort have been using enthalpy to measure thermal energy inside rural facilities, establishing indicator values for many situations of thermal comfort and heat stress. This variable turned out to be helpful in analyzing thermal exchange in livestock systems. The animals are exposed to an environment which is decisive for the thermoregulatory process, and, consequently, the reactions reflect states of thermal comfort or heat stress, the last being responsable for problems of sanity, behavior and productivity. There are researchers using enthalpy as a qualitative indicator of thermal environment of livestock such as poultry, cattle and hogs in tropical regions. This preliminary work intends to check different enthalpy equations using information from classical thermodynamics, and proposes a direct equation as thermal comfort index for livestock systems.

Spatio-Thermal Variability and Behaviour as Bio-Thermal Indicators of Heat Stress in Dairy Cows in a Compost Barn: A Case Study.

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.

Thermal stress related with mortality rates on broilers' preslaughter operations: a lairage time effect study / Estresse térmico relacionado com taxas de mortalidade durante as operações pré-abate de frangos de corte: um estudo sobre os efeitos do tempo de espera

Concerning the reduction of preslaughter death losses, high temperature and relative humidity in the tropics are the major concerns regarding broiler survival prior slaughtering. However, the relationship between different lairage times under controlled environment and the thermal condition outside the holding area is still unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare different intervals of lairage time with different environmental temperature and relationship with poultry mortality rates. A study was conducted in a commercial poultry abattoir in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the year of 2006. The historical data set from 13,937 trucks, about broiler mortality during preslaughter operations, was given by the abattoir. Factors that influence the welfare of birds were studied, such as lairage time in abattoir and hourly dry-bulb temperature. The statistical analysis was performed using the Double Generalized Linear Models. The lower incidence of death losses before arrival at the processing plant (approximately 13 dead birds per truck) was observed when the lairage time was between 1 to 3 hours, under high temperatures (above 22°C). This effect was more pronounced under critical (25-28°C) and lethal intervals (above 29°C) (12 and 13 dead birds per truck, respectively). In relation to lairage time, the reduction in mortality rates was more pronounced in the intervals up to 1 hour of lairage under climatized conditions, with a reduction of 3 dead birds per truck. It was concluded that thermal stress have negative influence for broilers welfare kept under preslaughter conditions and variations on mortality rate are strongly related with different lairage times.

No que diz respeito à redução das perdas por mortalidade pré-abate, as temperaturas e umidades relativas elevadas nos trópicos são as maiores preocupações quanto à sobrevivência de frangos de corte antes do abate. Entretanto, a relação entre diferentes tempos de espera em ambiente controlado e a condição térmica fora do galpão de espera ainda não está clara. Dessa forma, objetivou-se por meio deste trabalho comparar diferentes tempos de espera com diferentes temperaturas externas e a influência nas taxas de mortalidade de frangos de corte. O estudo foi conduzido em um abatedouro comercial de frangos de corte, situado no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, durante o ano de 2006. Dados históricos de mortalidade de aves durante as operações pré-abate foram obtidos no abatedouro, provenientes de 13.937 caminhões transportadores de frangos de corte. Fatores que influenciam o bem estar das aves foram estudados, dentre eles, o tempo de espera no abatedouro e a temperatura horária do ambiente externo. A análise estatística foi realizada por meio dos Modelos Lineares Generalizados Duplos. A baixa incidência de mortes antes da chegada à linha de abate foi observada (aproximadamente 13 aves mortas por caminhão) quando o tempo de espera esteve entre 1 e 3 horas, sob altas temperaturas (acima de 22°C). Esse efeito foi mais evidente nas faixas crítica (25-28°C) e letal (acima de 29°C) (12 e 13 aves mortas por caminhão, respectivamente). Com relação ao tempo de espera, a redução da mortalidade foi mais pronunciada em intervalos acima de uma hora de espera, sob condições de espera climatizada. Conclui-se que o estresse térmico possui influência negativa para o bem-estar de frangos mantidos sob condição pré-abate e variações na taxa de mortalidade são fortemente relacionadas aos diferentes tempos de espera.