Thermal comfort indexes and physiological parameters of Santa Inês and crossbreed ewes in the semi-arid

Furtado, Dermeval AraujoOliveira, Francisco Miguel de MeloSousa, Wandrik HaussMedeiros, Geovergue RodriguesOliveira, Maria Ednalva CavalcantiVeigas, Romero Rodrigues

The objective of this study was evaluated the thermal comfort indexes and physiological parameters in Santa Inês and crossbreed ewes in Brazilian semiarid. The research was developed at experimental station Benjamin Maranhão, twenty non pregnant female sheep were used, 10 pure and 10 crossbreed (½ Dorper + ½ Santa Inês), averaging 26.7 ± 2.1 kg and with 150 days of age at the beginning of the study and confined in a covered sheepfold. A completely randomized design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (two genotypes and two shifts) with four treatments and five repetitions was used. The interior and exterior thermal comfort indexes were, most of the day, above the thermal comfort zone for sheep. The rectal temperature, superficial temperature, respiratory rate and cardiac rate was more elevated in the afternoon, and the Santa Inês animals showed in the mornings low rectal temperature values, as well as superficial temperature, respiratory and cardiac rate when compared to the crossbreed.(AU)

1. adaptability
2. ambience
3. bioclimatology
4. rectal temperature