(GEBIOMET staff) – Crop-livestock-forest integration systems (ILPF) has numerous benefits related to the sustainability of agricultural production systems. More specifically, the silvopastoral system is well known for the advantages related to the production of beef cattle, dairy cattle, among other animals. However, little is known about the influence of this system on the thermoregulation and behaviour of dairy heifers in a subtropical climate. Based on this, research was conducted by the GEBIOMET team and the results published in a scientific journal in 2020. This is the work entitled Thermoregulatory and Behaviour Responses of Dairy Heifers Raised on a Silvopastoral System in a Subtropical Climate, published in the Annals of Animals Science (Polônia) (click here to access the article). Under the supervision of Prof. Frederico Vieira, this work is the result of the effort steam members of the group, that is, the result of the work of scientific initiation and completion of course work of the graduate Matheus Deniz (Animal Science - UTFPR), completion of course work of the graduate Maurício Zotti Sponchiado (Animal Science - UTFPR) and the scientific initiation of the graduate Barbara de Oliveira Puretz (Forestry Engineering). In addition to these, the work also has the co-authorship of Jaqueline A. Pilatti (MSc. in Animal Science - UTFPR), Prof. Edgar S. Vismara (Forestry Engineering – UTFPR) and Prof. Piotr Herbut (the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland). All are members of GEBIOMET. Check out the main results of this search below.

Behavior of heifers in silvopastoral system
The novelty of this work is the analysis based on Bayesian inference. This approach is important due to the assumptions of this type of behavioural variable, which has no normal distribution, besides a low sample size. Bayesian inference analysis is recommended for low sample sizes, in addition to allowing a priori information from other studies. In our case, the idea is to build an information bank to subsidize future research with Bayesian inference.

As for the main behavioural results, a higher probability of rumination in the silvopastoral system was recorded during the warmer periods, especially between 10:00 and 16:00, compared to open pasture heifers. In the latter case, the ruminate behaviour did not change over time, remaining with the chance of occurrence below 20%. This result shows that rumination, as well as grazing, is related to the conditions of the environment. That is, both heifers and lactating cows prefer shaded and less stressful sites to perform such behaviours.

Water intake also drew attention, the probability of which was higher for heifers in open pasture, when compared to cows in the silvopastoral system. There is a high correlation recorded in the literature between stress and longer visit to the drinking trough. In this case, more visits are expected to the drinking trough of heifers exposed to the sun, due to the need to lose heat to the environment.

Thermoregulation of heifers in silvopastoral system
The heifers of the silvopastoral system presented a low respiratory rate (maximum of 80 breaths per minute), as well as reduced average surface temperature (maximum of 33 °C) when compared with animals of the open pasture system. In the case of respiratory rate, the difference between the two systems reached 20 breaths per minute at the hottest times of the day. This evidences the degree of thermal stress of animals kept in a shady environment, which causes greater damage, both in quality of life, as well as future implications in weight gain, consumption and feed conversion, as well as impairment in future milk production.

Today's heifers will be milk-producing cows tomorrow. The concern with the environment and being aware of their behaviour (bioindicators of stress situations) are fundamental for the optimal levels of animal welfare experienced by them. It is also not enough to offer shade only: it has to be shade in quality and quantity, avoiding disputes between animals and providing comfortable conditions for everyone. In this context, the silvopastoral system in subtropical climate has enormous potential and advantages when we discussed worldwide the sustainable systems, combining production, conservation of natural resources, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and animal welfare.

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