Behaviour and physiological response of Brahman cows reared in silvopastoral arrangements

The aim of this study was to evaluate the behaviour and physiological response of Brahman cows grazing in silvopastoral arrangements with scattered trees. The study was conducted in Puerto Nare, Antioquia, Colombia. Two productive systems were typified: a system with relevant shade cover with discontinuous trees and shrubs and a central alley of trees (protocol A) and a control system with scarce tree cover (protocol B). Each system included 19 Brahman cows with calves at foot. Lower environmental temperature was recorded in the paddocks of protocol A (p=0.04) and a higher respiratory rate in cows of protocol B (p=0.0001). There were no differences in dry matter intake (p=0.40), but there was more time dedicated to night grazing by cows from Protocol B (p=0.0017). It is concluded that silvopastoral systems with an adequate offer of shade allow to reduce the ambient temperature by up to 2°C, promoting welfare and comfort to Bos indicus cattle reared in tropical conditions.
El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el comportamiento y respuesta fisiológica en pastoreo de vacas Brahman en arreglos silvopastoriles con árboles dispersos. El estudio se realizó en Puerto Nare, Antioquia, Colombia. Se tipificaron dos sistemas productivos: un sistema con revestimiento pertinente de sombra con árboles y arbustos discontinuos y un callejón central de árboles (protocolo A) y un sistema control con escasa cubierta de árboles (protocolo B). Cada sistema incluyó a 19 vacas Brahman con sus crías. Se registró menor temperatura ambiental en los potreros del protocolo A (p=0.04) y una frecuencia respiratoria mayor en las vacas del protocolo B (p=0.0001). No hubo diferen-cias en la ingesta de materia seca (p=0.40), pero hubo mayor tiempo dedicado al pastoreo nocturno en las vacas del Protocolo B (p=0.0017). Se concluye que los sistemas silvopastoriles con adecuada oferta de sombra permiten reducir la temperatura ambiente hasta en 2° C, propiciando mayor bienestar y comodidad a bovinos Bos indicus alojados en condiciones de trópico.