Dairy cows on integrated livestock-forestry system in the tropics

Abstract

Improvements in animal husbandry environment have resulted in major benefits to dairy farming in tropical regions. The aim was to evaluate the effect of changes in sun/shade regimes—restricted shade (RSR), moderate shading (MSR), and intense shading (ISR)—on the behavior of crossbred dairy cows. Massai grass with eucalyptus trees were used in the system. The experiment was conducted at Brazil from 2017 to 2018. Eight dairy cows were observed in each regime over three days by seasons every 30 min from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The behavioral variables considered were localization, posture, and activity. Microclimatic variables were studied and hourly averages were calculated for seasons. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete blocks with split-plots; evaluation times were allocated to subplots and sequential days of analysis were considered replications in time. Multivariate analysis (principal component analysis) was performed using Excel. The results showed that the RSR had a higher proportion of idle cows, which was associated with a higher intensity of radiation (1.2 MJ m⁻² h⁻¹). The MSR and ISR differed in radiation levels by 17% and 58%, respectively. The opposite was true when shade was available, as cows performed activities such as grazing more frequently, mainly in the morning shift (difference of 20.7% in the RSR for the shade regime). The behavior of crossbred dairy cows subjected to climatic stress environments was benefitted from microclimatic conditions provided by trees. The provision at least moderate shade around the paddocks, alleviates the stress and regulates the vital activities of the animals.