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Use of shelter by grazing bulls: effect of climatic factors
Vandenheede, Marc; Nicks, Baudouin; Sheri, R. et al.
1995In Animal Science, 60, p. 81-85
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Keywords :
Cattle; Climate; Growth; Shelter
Abstract :
[en] The time spent under a shelter by eight grazing fattening bulls of the Belgian Blue breed in each of 3 years consecutively for a total of 48 days was recorded using a time-lapse recorder with infrared illumination. During one grazing period, data were collected over 35 days (experiment 1). Observations were divided into 166 h with rain (20%) and 674 h without precipitation (80%). The average occupation rates were 15.4 (s.e. 29.1)% for the hours with rain and 4.5 (s.e. 14.8)% for the hours without precipitation (P < 0.001). The effect of intensity and duration of rain on the occupation rate was significant from 0.4 l/m(2) or from 2 h. Experiment 2 (13 days of observation) examined the influence of temperature and solar radiation on the use of shelter. The occupation rates were 21 (s.e. 23)% during the daylight hours (07.00 to 19.00 h), 6 (s.e. 8)% during the night (19.00 to 07.00 h) and 14 (s.e. 14)% during a 24-h period. The occupation rate between 07.00 and 19.00 h was significantly correlated to the mean daily temperature (r = 0.75), the maximum daily temperature (r = 0.86) and the direct solar radiation time (r = 0.60). When the maximum daily temperature exceeded 20 degrees C, the use of the shelter increased from 10 to 49% of the daylight hours. There was no significant difference between the live-weight gains of animals from the observed group and those of other bulls on an adjacent pasture without shelter. Nevertheless, these observations suggest that a shelter may improve the welfare of grazing cattle.
Disciplines :
Animal production & animal husbandry
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Vandenheede, Marc ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ethologie vétérinaire et bien-être des animaux
Nicks, Baudouin ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ecologie et éthologie vétérinaires
Sheri, R.
Canart, Bernard
Dufrasne, Isabelle  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Nutrition des animaux domestiques
Biston, R.
Lecompte, P.
Language :
English
Title :
Use of shelter by grazing bulls: effect of climatic factors
Publication date :
1995
Journal title :
Animal Science
ISSN :
1357-7298
Publisher :
Cambridge University Press, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Volume :
60
Pages :
81-85
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 23 November 2009

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