Desenvolvimento e validação de indicadores de bem-estar de equinos utilizados no manejo de bovinos de corte
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Data
2017-11-22
Autores
Trindade, Pedro Henrique Esteves
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Editor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
O Brasil possui o quarto maior rebanho mundial de equinos com aproximadamente 5 milhões de cabeças. Cerca de 72% desse rebanho – 3,9 milhões de cabeças – está envolvida em atividades agropecuárias, sendo a maior parte utilizada como cavalo de lida na criação de bovinos de corte. Apesar disso, é comum observar nas rotinas de manejo nas fazendas de bovinos de corte situações que comprometem o bem-estar dos cavalos de lida, como extensas jornadas de trabalho que podem ocasionar cansaço, dor, miopatias ou até evoluir para exaustão física, fadiga ou síndrome de overtraining, dependendo da aptidão física, da carga de trabalho e das condições ambientais. Desta forma, é imprescindível desenvolver indicadores de bem-estar animal para serem aplicados aos cavalos de lida. Portanto, o primeiro capítulo desta dissertação foi elaborado com o objetivo de contextualizar o leitor sobre os temas gerais abordados: definição, conceitos e sistematização da avaliação do bem-estar animal, bem como indicadores com base nas respostas comportamentais e fisiológicas aplicáveis a cavalos após exercício físico. O segundo e terceiro capítulos foram construídos para apresentar os resultados e discussões produzidos por essa dissertação. No segundo capítulo tivemos como objetivos (i) identificar como as expressões faciais e outras variáveis comportamentais mudam nos cavalos de lida após uma jornada de trabalho de rotina, e (ii) investigar se essas mudanças podem ser usadas como um indicador de fadiga física ao relacioná-las com indicadores fisiológicos conhecidos de esforço físico ou variáveis de carga de trabalho. Identificamos aumento de expressões faciais e outros comportamentos indicativos de descanso, diminuição de atenção e movimentos para repelir insetos após um dia regular de trabalho. Dentre tais comportamentos a frequência de troca de apoio dos membros torácicos apresentou correlação positiva com a duração do exercício e a movimentação lateral da cabeça correlação negativa com a concentração de cortisol. A identificação desses traços comportamentais de fadiga física pode promover o bem-estar dos cavalos prevenindo os efeitos deletérios do excesso de exercício físico. No terceiro capítulo investigamos a utilidade da temperatura superficial máxima do olho, registrada pela termografia infravermelha, como indicador de aptidão física em cavalos de lida. Nossos resultados demonstraram correlação positiva entre atividade de creatina quinase com temperatura superficial máxima do olho. Além disso, conseguimos separar os animais em dois grupos segundo o nível da temperatura superficial máxima do olho e da atividade de creatina quinase. Tais achados sugerem que a temperatura superficial máxima do olho pode auxiliar na determinação se o intervalo entre sessões de atividade física foi suficiente para a recuperação muscular, prevenindo o aparecimento de miopatias decorrentes do excesso de esforço físico. Por fim, no último capítulo apresentamos nossas considerações finais levando em conta as informações da literatura vigente, implicações práticas, bem como os nossos achados apresentados nos capítulos 2 e 3.
Brazil has the world's fourth largest equine herd of approximately 5 million horses. Approximately 72% of this herd - 3.9 million head - is involved in agricultural activities, most of which are used as ranch horses at beef cattle farms. Despite this, it is common to observe in the routines of beef cattle management situations that compromise the ranch horses’ welfare, such as, long periods of daily work that can cause tiredness, pain, myopathies or even evolve to physical exhaustion, fatigue or overtraining, depending on the physical fitness, workload and environmental conditions. In this way, it is essential to develop animal welfare indicators to be applied to horses. Therefore, the first chapter of this dissertation was developed with the aim of contextualizing the reader on the general topics covered: definition, concepts and systematization of the evaluation of animal welfare, as well as behavioral and physiological indicators applicable to horses after physical exercise. The second and third chapters were constructed to present the results and discussions produced by this dissertation. In the second chapter we had as objectives to identify how facial expressions and other behavioural variables change in ranch horses after a routine workday, and (ii) to investigate if these changes can be used as an indicator of physical fatigue by relating them to known physiological indicators of physical exertion or workload variables. Were identified a increased of the facial expressions and other behaviors indicative of resting, decreased attention and movements to avoid flies after a regular workday. Among these behaviors the frequency of exchange of support of the thoracic limbs presented a positive correlation with the duration of the exercise and the lateral movement of the head negative correlation with the concentration of cortisol. The identification of these behavioral traits of physical fatigue can promote the welfare of horses, preventing the deleterious effects of excess physical exercise. In the third chapter we investigated the use of the maximum eye superficial temperature, recorded by infrared thermography, as an indicator of physical fitness in horses. Our results demonstrated a positive correlation between creatine kinase activity and maximum eye superficial temperature. In addition, we were able to separate the animals into two groups according to the maximum eye superficial temperature and creatine kinase activity. These findings suggest that the maximum eye superficial temperature can help determine if the interval between sessions of physical activity was enough for muscle recovery, preventing the onset of myopathies due to excessive physical effort. Finally, in the last chapter we present our final considerations taking into account the information in the current literature, practical implications, as well as our findings presented in chapters 2 and 3.
Brazil has the world's fourth largest equine herd of approximately 5 million horses. Approximately 72% of this herd - 3.9 million head - is involved in agricultural activities, most of which are used as ranch horses at beef cattle farms. Despite this, it is common to observe in the routines of beef cattle management situations that compromise the ranch horses’ welfare, such as, long periods of daily work that can cause tiredness, pain, myopathies or even evolve to physical exhaustion, fatigue or overtraining, depending on the physical fitness, workload and environmental conditions. In this way, it is essential to develop animal welfare indicators to be applied to horses. Therefore, the first chapter of this dissertation was developed with the aim of contextualizing the reader on the general topics covered: definition, concepts and systematization of the evaluation of animal welfare, as well as behavioral and physiological indicators applicable to horses after physical exercise. The second and third chapters were constructed to present the results and discussions produced by this dissertation. In the second chapter we had as objectives to identify how facial expressions and other behavioural variables change in ranch horses after a routine workday, and (ii) to investigate if these changes can be used as an indicator of physical fatigue by relating them to known physiological indicators of physical exertion or workload variables. Were identified a increased of the facial expressions and other behaviors indicative of resting, decreased attention and movements to avoid flies after a regular workday. Among these behaviors the frequency of exchange of support of the thoracic limbs presented a positive correlation with the duration of the exercise and the lateral movement of the head negative correlation with the concentration of cortisol. The identification of these behavioral traits of physical fatigue can promote the welfare of horses, preventing the deleterious effects of excess physical exercise. In the third chapter we investigated the use of the maximum eye superficial temperature, recorded by infrared thermography, as an indicator of physical fitness in horses. Our results demonstrated a positive correlation between creatine kinase activity and maximum eye superficial temperature. In addition, we were able to separate the animals into two groups according to the maximum eye superficial temperature and creatine kinase activity. These findings suggest that the maximum eye superficial temperature can help determine if the interval between sessions of physical activity was enough for muscle recovery, preventing the onset of myopathies due to excessive physical effort. Finally, in the last chapter we present our final considerations taking into account the information in the current literature, practical implications, as well as our findings presented in chapters 2 and 3.
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Palavras-chave
Bem-estar animal, Expressão facial, Fadiga física, Cavalo de lida, Linguagem corporal, Animal welfare, Facial expression, Physical fatigue, Ranch horse, Body language