Estudo de caso sobre temperamento equino

Abstract

The knowledge of the animals behavioral repertoire has helped in understanding the their ability to adapt to different management practices, well-being and productive performance. This work aimed to verify the influence of temperament on the clinical and metabolic performance of horses submitted to exercise. Two mares were used, 5 and 15 years, kept on native pasture and frequent contact with other animals. The producer underwent a questionnaire for the purpose of checking their perception about the animals temperament and meet the management features used on the property. The animals were subjected to analysis of behavior in a containment equipment to observe the movement, the ears and eyes position, audibility of breath, occurrence of vocalization, urination and escape velocity. The animals underwent clinical examination to check the heart and respiratory rate and body temperature and blood had collected for complete blood count with platelet count, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, urea, lactate and glucose levels before and after 2 hours physical exercise. As for an animal temperament was considered reactive and other non-reactive. However the perception of the owner and reactivity tests were contrary. It was assumed that the reactivity as perceived by the test. The average concentrations of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, PPT, MCV, MCHC, MCH, Fibrinogen, ALT and glucose, hematocrit, platelet count, the percentage of rods, segmented, eosinophils and lymphocytes and rectal temperature were within standards reference to the equine species in both animals evaluated. The average percentage of monocytes was low in the non-reactive animal before, rising to the normal pattern after exercise, while the average concentration of phosphatase appeared high in the reactive animal before, returning to normal levels after activity physics. The concentrations of urea, AST, lactate and respiratory and heart rates were above the reference values for the species in both animals before and after exercise. It is considered that there were differences in the metabolism of two animals, however we cannot state that they were caused by temperament.