P. R. Kahwage

Assessment of surface temperatures of buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) raised under tropical conditions using infrared thermography

This paper aimed to evaluate the surface temperatures of buffalo bulls using infrared thermography, considering four distinct anatomical parts over time, and to correlate surface temperatures and thermal comfort indexes. The humid tropical climate (Koppens Afi) was predominant in the research station where the experiment was performed and the trial lasted from April to August. Ten bulls (n=10) were evaluated every 25 days (morning: 6:00-9:00; afternoon: 12:00-15:00) and the parameters assessed were respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), and the thermograms of surface temperature for orbital area (ORB), right flank (RF), left flank (LF) and scrotum (SCR). Climatological data was continuously monitored and the Temperature and Humidity Index (THI) and the Index of Comfort of Benezra (ICB) were calculated. The average values of THI were ≥78, and significant differences between shifts were observed (P<0.05). The ICB ranged from 1.96 to 2.25 and significant differences were observed for shifts and throughout the months (P<0.05). The averages of surface temperatures were RT=38.2±0.5°C, ORB=36.1±0.8°C, LF=33.5±2.5°C, RF=35.4±1.7oC and SCR=33.3±1.1°C, which exhibited significant differences for shifts and throughout the months (P<0.05). Positive correlations were obtained between THI and ORB (0.72), RF (0.77), LF (0.75) and SCR (0.41) (P<0.0001). The maximum temperature of ORB showed the highest correlation with RT (0.58, P<0.0001). Therefore, the surface temperatures are subject to climatic variations and increase throughout the day, due to the variation in thermal comfort indexes, and the maximum ORB temperature was the parameter most related to rectal temperature. Lastly, the results indicate that IRT may be a useful non-invasive and accurate tool to detect the variations in ORB, LF, RF and SCR temperature in buffalo bulls.

Biometria testicular, eletroejaculação e características seminais de caititus, Tayassu tajacu Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Tayassuidae) mantidos em cativeiro na Amazônia Oriental

Estudos relacionados a obtencao e avaliacao de semen de Tayassu tajacu sao escassos, sendo necessarias pesquisas a respeito. Os objetivos do estudo foram avaliar a biometria testicular de caititus adultos cativos, testar a eficiencia da eletroejaculacao para obtencao de semen e avaliar suas caracteristicas seminais ao longo do ano. Procedeu-se a eletroejaculacao em oito animais adultos e as amostras de semen colhidas foram avaliadas quanto as caracteristicas fisicas e morfologicas. Os animais tinham testiculo esquerdo com 3,8 ± 0,4 cm X 2,6 ± 0,3 cm e 2,3 ± 0,2 de consistencia, e testiculo direito com 3,8 ± 0,5 cm X 2,7 ± 0,3 cm e 2,3 ± 0,2 de consistencia. A taxa de sucesso nas colheitas foi de 75,21%. O semen possuiu: volume 0,81 ± 0,86 mL, concentracao 137,44 ± 153 x 106 sptz mL-1, pH 7,92 ± 0,73, motilidade 52,66 ± 28,79%, vigor 2,2 ± 0,8, integridade de membrana plasmatica 55,84 ± 28,55%, defeitos maiores 22,87 ± 12,93%, defeitos menores 9,11 ± 5,88% e defeitos totais 31,52 ± 13,81%. Os animais apresentaram simetria testicular, a eletroejaculacao se mostrou eficiente para a obtencao de ejaculados em caititus e as flutuacoes observadas na producao seminal nao foram suficientes para caracteriza-los como animais de reproducao sazonal.