Comportamento de bovinos leiteiros em sala de ordenha

Abstract

Behavior is an aspect of the phenotype of the animal influenced by environmental factors, food production system adopted and genetic factors. As the study of animal behavior determinant to indicate what is appropriate to animals in farming systems, this knowledge allows you to improve management techniques, helping to reduce stress in the face of routine practices on farms, as when animals are fearful, exhibit aversive behavior, and often more difficult to handle. The observation of behavioral changes of animals is a way of assessing the well-being, as some examples of absence, may be cited mastitis, low body score, high parasite load, the presence of high plasma cortisol levels in the blood , altered serotonin levels, the amount of residual milk, reactive attitudes during milking and absence of rumination, among others. It can be considered cow comfort one of the most influential factors for the increased production. Often behavioral changes represent the only indication that stress is present, the high level of fear results in acute or chronic stress. The retireiro is often the main cause of discomfort during milking, handling animals so aversive, resulting in disturbances in the ejection greater defecation and urination in the milking parlor, reactivity by animals hindering milking, and a lower rate rumination that is strongly influenced by fear and an indicator of well-being. The climate and temperature are also factors that influence the comfort of the animals to be milked, being essential to maintain thermal comfort, to keep milk production satisfactorily. The aim of this review is to highlight the factors that influence the behavior of dairy cattle, and their effects on well-being.