Thermal environment is recognized to be one the most important ecological factor to determine domestic animal growth, development and productivity for direct and indirect effects on its physiology and behavior. Despite having specific and individual adaptation, is very common, within seasonal or diurnal temperature variations, animals deal with situations outside their thermal comfort zone. Due to heat stress, dairy cows reduce milk production and fertility, and therefore, had achieved an increasing in metabolic disorders incidence, causing low revenues to farm in short and medium periods. Due to world climate change more impact of the meteorological variables on animal responses is expected for the future. This study aimed to describe and understand the interactions of variables associated with heat stress in dairy cattle. System thinking approach to this specific physiological mechanism might help to better focus managerial aspects related to grazing conditions and animal needs. A causal loop diagram annotation used to connect biological variables included in system boundaries. Causal connections were validated with literature citations on the heat stress influence. The most important feedback loops highlighted underline dominant structure and expected patterns. Four balancing loops involved in physiological mechanisms used by animals in order to reduce metabolic heat production and to regulate homeostasis of the internal temperature, were found.

A conceptual model to describe heat stress in dairy cows from actual to questionable loops / Benavides, Raúl Andrés Molina; Guerrero, Hugo Sánchez; Atzori, Alberto Stanislao. - In: ACTA AGRONOMICA. - ISSN 0120-2812. - 67:1(2018), pp. 59-64. [10.15446/acag.v67n1.60612]

A conceptual model to describe heat stress in dairy cows from actual to questionable loops

Atzori, Alberto Stanislao
Conceptualization
2018-01-01

Abstract

Thermal environment is recognized to be one the most important ecological factor to determine domestic animal growth, development and productivity for direct and indirect effects on its physiology and behavior. Despite having specific and individual adaptation, is very common, within seasonal or diurnal temperature variations, animals deal with situations outside their thermal comfort zone. Due to heat stress, dairy cows reduce milk production and fertility, and therefore, had achieved an increasing in metabolic disorders incidence, causing low revenues to farm in short and medium periods. Due to world climate change more impact of the meteorological variables on animal responses is expected for the future. This study aimed to describe and understand the interactions of variables associated with heat stress in dairy cattle. System thinking approach to this specific physiological mechanism might help to better focus managerial aspects related to grazing conditions and animal needs. A causal loop diagram annotation used to connect biological variables included in system boundaries. Causal connections were validated with literature citations on the heat stress influence. The most important feedback loops highlighted underline dominant structure and expected patterns. Four balancing loops involved in physiological mechanisms used by animals in order to reduce metabolic heat production and to regulate homeostasis of the internal temperature, were found.
2018
Se reconoce que el ambiente térmico es uno de los factores ecológicos más importantes para determinar el crecimiento, el desarrollo y la productividad de animales domésticos con efectos directos e indirectos sobre su fisiología y comportamiento. A pesar de tener una adaptación específica e individual, es muy común que, dentro de las variaciones de temperatura estacionales o diurnas, los animales se enfrenten a situaciones fuera de su zona de confort térmico. Debido al estrés calórico, las vacas lecheras reducen su producción y fertilidad, y por lo tanto, llevan a cabo un aumento en la incidencia de trastornos metabólicos, causando bajos ingresos para la finca a corto y mediano plazo. Debido al cambio climático mundial, se espera un mayor impacto de las variables meteorológicas en las respuestas de los animales para el futuro. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir y comprender las interacciones de las variables asociadas con el estrés calórico en el ganado lechero. El enfoque dinámica de sistemas aplicado a este mecanismo fisiológico específico ayuda a entender el estrés calórico en vacas lecheras cuando se relacionan los aspectos de pastoreo y las necesidades del animal. Se usó una anotación de diagrama de bucle causal para conectar las variables biológicas incluidas en los límites del sistema. Las conexiones causales se validaron con citas bibliográficas sobre la influencia del estrés calórico. Las interconexiones de retroalimentación más importantes resaltadas, subrayan la estructura dominante y los patrones esperados. Se encontraron cuatro bucles balance implicados en los mecanismos fisiológicos utilizados por los animales para reducir la producción de calor metabólico y para regular la homeostasis de la temperatura interna.
A conceptual model to describe heat stress in dairy cows from actual to questionable loops / Benavides, Raúl Andrés Molina; Guerrero, Hugo Sánchez; Atzori, Alberto Stanislao. - In: ACTA AGRONOMICA. - ISSN 0120-2812. - 67:1(2018), pp. 59-64. [10.15446/acag.v67n1.60612]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/204949
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