Responses of Dairy Buffalo to Heat Stress Conditions and Mitigation Strategies: A Review
Author(s)
Date Issued
2023
Type
article
Volume
13
Issue
7
Journal
Abstract
Increases in temperature and the greater incidence of extreme events are the consequences
of the climate change that is taking place on planet Earth. High temperatures create severe discomfort
to animal farms as they are unable to efficiently dissipate their body heat, and for this, they implement
mechanisms to reduce the production of endogenous heat (reducing feed intake and production).
In tropical and subtropical countries, where buffalo breeding is more widespread, there are strong
negative consequences of heat stress (HS) on the production and quality of milk, reproduction, and
health. The increase in ambient temperature is also affecting temperate countries in which buffalo
farms are starting to highlight problems due to HS. To counteract HS, it is possible to improve
buffalo thermotolerance by using a genetic approach, but even if it is essential, it is a long process.
Two other mitigation approaches are nutritional strategies, such as the use of vitamins, minerals,
and antioxidants and cooling strategies such as shade, fans, sprinklers, and pools. Among the
cooling systems that have been evaluated, wallowing or a combination of fans and sprinklers, when
wallowing is not available, are good strategies, even if wallowing was the best because it improved
the production and reproduction performance and the level of general well-being of the animals
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Name
animals-13-01260 Published.pdf
Size
4.65 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
70dc2a5443c0764c26a70f4b4161ecdf
Project(s)
AGRITECH