52a Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de
Zootecnia
Zootecnia: Otimizando Recursos e Potencialidades
Belo Horizonte – MG, 19 a 23 de Julho de 2015
Manejos em novilhas de corte influência a deposição de gordura e o bem estar animal1
Douglas Rodrigues Sauceda2, Maitê de Moraes Vieira3, Carla Comerlato Jardim4, Isabella Dias Barbosa Silveira5,
Marnon Flores Rozado4
Parte da tese de doutorado do terceiro autor, financiada pelo Instituto Federal Farroupilha – Campus Alegrete
Programa de Pós Graduação em Zootecnia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), BRA, Bolsista Capes. e-mail: [email protected]
3
Departamento de Zootecnia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), BRA.
4
Departamento de Zootecnia – Instituto Federal Farroupilha – Campus Alegrete, BRA, Programa de Pós Graduação em Zootecnia UFPEL, BRA.
5
Departamento de Zootecnia –Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPEL), BRA.
1
2
Resumo: Objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar diferentes manejos e sua influência nas medidas comportamentais
e fisiológicas utilizadas como parâmetros de bem estar animal e na deposição de gordura subcutânea e gordura da
picanha em novilhas. Utilizou - se dois tratamentos: Sistema tradicional de criação de bovinos de corte; Sistema
Boas Práticas Agropecuárias – BPA. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado. Foram utilizados dois grupos de
sete terneiras com idade inicial entre 5 e 8 meses, totalizando 14 animais recriadas sob diferentes manejos até a
estação de monta com idade média de 24 meses de idade. Utilizou-se avaliação por ultrassonografia para mensurar
a espessura de gordura subcutânea e gordura da picanha. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as
médias foram comparadas pelo teste Tukey a 5% de significância. Ocorreu diferença nas variáveis comportamentais
e fisiológicas na segunda observação. Houve diferença para deposição de gordura de picanha, não ocorrendo
diferença para gordura subcutânea. Animais manejados com boas práticas agropecuárias apresentaram níveis mais
baixos de glicose e cortisol na corrente sanguínea. O manejo tradicional associado a elevados níveis de cortisol na
corrente sanguínea influencia a deposição de gordura na picanha de fêmeas bovinas.
Palavras–chave: Bovinocultura, etologia, picanha, produção, reprodução.
Managements in cutting heifers influence fat deposition and welfare of animals
Abstract: Work objective was to evaluate different management and its influence on behavioral and physiological
measures used as parameters animal welfare and their influence on the deposition of subcutaneous fat and fat rump
cover for heifers. Was used two treatments: system tradional breeding production of beef cattle; Good Agricultural
Practices System - BPA. The lineation was completely randomized. Were used two groups of seven heifers with
initial age between 5 and 8 months, totaling 14 animals recreated under different managements until the breeding
season with an average age of 24 months old. Was used evaluation by ultrasound to measure the thickness of
subcutaneous fat and fat from rump cover. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared
by the Tukey test at 5% significance level. It occurred difference in behavioral and physiological variables in the
second observation. There were difference to deposition of fat rump cover, no difference to subcutaneous fat.
Animals handled with good agricultural practices showed lower levels of glucose and cortisol in the bloodstream.
The management traditional associated with elevated cortisol levels in the bloodstream influence the deposition of
fat in the rump cover of heifers.
Keywords: Bovinoculture, ethology, production, reproduction, rump cover.
Introduction
The individual well-being is their status in relation to their attempts to adapt to its environment (BROOM,
1986). Several authors have shown there is a very close relationship between animal welfare, animal health and
production performance. Thus, the knowledge and respect for the biology of livestock provide better economic
results by increasing the efficiency of the productive system and improving the quality of the final product
(VALLE, 2011). The use of parameters for definition of animal welfare grade is an important tool for making
decisions management in production animals. Measurements behavioral are also of great value in the evaluation of
well being (BROOM e MOLENTO, 2004). The objective was to evaluate different management and its influence
on behavioral and physiological measures used as parameters of animal welfare and their influence on the
deposition of subcutaneous fat and subcutaneous of fat in the rump cover for heifers.
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Página - 1 - de 3
52a Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de
Zootecnia
Zootecnia: Otimizando Recursos e Potencialidades
Belo Horizonte – MG, 19 a 23 de Julho de 2015
Material e Methods
The experiment was conducted at the Federal Institute Farroupilha - Campus Alegrete, in the educational
unit of production (UEP) of bovinoculture, starting in June 2012 to November 2013. Were used breed females
Brangus and Braford, born in the spring of 2011, with initial age between 5 and 8 months old. Were used two
groups of animals subjected to the following treatments: 1) Traditional system of creating beef cattle of the Frontier
RS-West region; 2) Good Agricultural Practices - BPA (EMBRAPA GADO DE CORTE, 2011). Each animal was
considered an experimental unit and the two groups were structured by completely randomized design from animals
of the same breed, age and body condition score. Each group consisted of 7 calves females, totaling 14 animals,
which were monitored for 18 consecutive months and managements as established every management. At the end
of the experimental the females were intended to period of reproduction. The two groups were kept under the same
conditions in relation to diet, being used oat and ryegrass pastures during the winter and early spring and native
field in summer and autumn beginning, all with mineral supplementation in the trough. Were analyzed level
sanguine of glucose and cortisol as physiological measurement. Were collected two blood samples from each
animal via jugular vein puncture, one for glucose and one for cortisol. To glucose were utilized collection tube with
EDTA anticoagulant K2, after forwarded to laboratory for analyzes. To behavioral measures was used the Distance
of Scape (DS), adapted from Boivin et al. (1992) and Complete Score of balance (CSB), adapted from Piovesan
(1998). The measures were called (01 and 02) for carrying out the order, the measures described as 01 were taken
21 days after beginning treatment, and as 02 measures were taken after 66 days of trial period. To measure the
thickness of subcutaneous fat and rump cover fat, it was used ultrasound evaluation. The ultrasound evaluation
technique in cattle for measuring AOL and the ECG is the muscle section of Logíssimus dorsi between the 12th and
13th ribs. To fat rump cover the measurement was region back in the region rump exclusively on the dorsal muscle
portion of the gluteal biceps, data taken were at the end of the trial period. The data were submitted to ANOVA the
means were compared by Tukey test at 5% significance level.
Results and Discussion
There was significant differences (P <0.05) in all variables after 66 days of trial period (Table 1), which
proved that the management influence the results. To CSB 02 to means were 2.3889 and 1.5278 for DS 2, 12.0556
and 8.1667. These results showed that the management was influenced the behavior of animals, and the
management of good agricultural practices favors the animal a sense of tranquility proposed by these indicators. To
rate Glucose 02, the averages were 78.389 and 46.889, to rate Cortisol 02, 5.267 and 3.10, for the traditional
management and handling ABP respectively, these indicators as animal welfare measurement tool, as described
above are associated the state of tranquility and sense of well being of the animal, showing that ABP management
favored this state to the animals of the group.
Table 1. Behavioral and physiological measures in beef heifers managed differently
Treatments
Variables
Complete Score of balance
01
02
Distance of scape
01
02
Rate of Sanguine Glucose
01
02
Rate of Sanguine Cortisol 1
01
02
Days of treatments
Traditional
Management
Good
Agricultural
Practices
CV %
P
21 days
66 days
2.53
2.39 a
2.77
1.52 b
45.87
36.12
0.5418
0.0009
21 days
66 days
11.00
12.05 a
10.55
8.16 b
25.87
29.44
0.6356
0.0004
21 days
66 days
89.89
78.39 a
89.22
46.89 b
25.01
29.70
0.9294
0.0001
21 days
66 days
2.47
5.26 a
4.01
3.10 b
83.50
72.32
0.0987
0.0433
01 = Data collected after 21 days of experimental period. 02 = Data collected after 66 days of trial period. Means in the same row followed by
different letters differ (P<0.05) by TUKEY test. CV = Coefficient of variation.
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52a Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de
Zootecnia
Zootecnia: Otimizando Recursos e Potencialidades
Belo Horizonte – MG, 19 a 23 de Julho de 2015
The management did not influence the subcutaneous fat thickness (p> 0.05) of the animals of both groups
(Table 2). The fat thickness of rump cover in heifers was influenced (P <0.05) of the treatments, showing that the
traditional management animals put more fat on the rump cover region. The animals in this treatment had higher
level of circulating sanguine cortisol, which favored greater fat deposition. According to Silva et al. (2014) cortisol
it is the main hormone of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, it is most important neuroendocrine system's
response to stress and in terms of animal production, the metabolic effect of cortisol influence the deposition of
lipids in adipose tissue, to the detriment proteins of muscle and other tissues.
Table 2. Assessment of thickness of fat (mm) in beef heifers managed differently
Treatments
Variables
Traditional
Good Agricultural
Management
Practices
Fat thickness subcutaneous
Fat thickness subcutaneous of
Picanha
CV %
P
2.47
1.87
28.66
0.0965
2.77 a
1.81 b
32.20
0.0320
Averages in the same row followed by different letters differ (P<0.05) by TUKEY test. CV = Coefficient of variation.
Conclusions
The good agricultural practices for 66 days was sufficient to improve behavioral responses and low level of
cortisol and glucose in the bloodstream of animals.
Glucose and cortisol level may be used as indicators of animal welfare, animals managed with good
agricultural practice showed lower level in the bloodstream.
The traditional management associated with elevated cortisol level in the bloodstream influence in
deposition of fat in the rump cover of heifers.
References
BOIVIN, X., P. Le Neindre and J.M. Chupin. 1992. Establisment of cattle-human relationship. Appl. Anim. Behav.
Sci., 32: 325-335 In: Barbosa Silveira, I.D., V. Fisher e M.M. Wiegand.
BROOM, D.M. 2004. Indicators of poor welfare. British Veterinary Journal, London, v.142, p.524526, 1986. In:
Broom, D.M.; Molento, C.F.M., Archives of Veterinary Science v. 9, n. 2, p. 1-11.
BROOM, D.M.; Molento, C.F.M., Archives of Veterinary Science v. 9, n. 2, p. 1-11, 2004.
PIOVESAN, U. 1998. Análise de Fatores Genéticos e Ambientais na Reatividade de Quatro Raças de Bovinos de
Corte ao Manejo. Dissertação de Mestrado. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. UESP. Jaboticabal,
SP. In: Barbosa Silveira, I.D., V. Fisher e M.M.
VALLE, E. R. do; 2011. Boas práticas agropecuárias: bovinos de corte: manual de orientações. 2. ed. Campo
Grande, MS: Embrapa Gado de Corte.
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