Physiological and Behavioral Changes of Water Buffalo in Hot and Cold Systems: Review

This review's objective is to provide information on the mechanisms that buffaloes express during the thermoregulation process. Generally, the water buffalo is associated with warm and tropical climates. In these systems, the combination of high temperature, relative humidity, and radiation cause different physiological and behavioral changes, particularly during the summer months. Wallowing behavior in water or mud promotes heat dissipation through physical mechanisms, such as conduction, convection, and radiation. Furthermore, the provision of natural or artificial shades contributes to thermoregulation and maintains homeostasis. In production systems in cold climates, the wallowing behavior is inhibited by the water temperature, so it is important to keep the animals protected in stables to avoid the cold winds and rapid drops in temperature, causing increased illness pneumonia and sometimes death. Finally, in cold conditions, the animals require an appropriate diet since the use of energy is distributed mainly for the production of heat. Thus, heat stress and cold stress generates relevant problems in health, welfare, and productivity in water buffaloes. A comprehensive assessment of the severity of the resulting problems associated with thermal stress and specialty in cold stress in water buffaloes is necessary so far, and there's very little information about it in this species

Effects of transport on the metabolism of horses

This study assessed the effect of the duration of the transport period on the acid-base equilibrium, energy profile and blood gases of 146 creole equines (CE), 66 of them females and 80 males. Animals, were divided into three treatment groups according to three different transport periods: 52 CEs were not transported and their data were considered as the baseline level (GB); while 49 were transported for two hours (h) (T2), and the other 45 for 11 h (T11). A marked hemodynamic profile decrease (P < 0.05) in blood pH from group T11 (7.23 ± 0.01) and gave rise to a condition of acidemia. Also, a significant increase (P<0.05) was observed in the concentrations of pCO2, glucose and lactate, as well as in the percentage of hematocrit in group T2 compared to group T11. The conclusion reached on the basis of these results was that transport periods greater than 2 h cause hyperglycemia, hypercalcemia, hyperlactatemia, hyperpotasemia, metabolic acidosis and a more severe degree of dehydration in creole [email protected] presente estudio evaluó el efecto de la duración del transporte sobre el equilibrio ácido-base, perfil energético y gasometría sanguínea de 146 equinos criollos (EC): 66 hembras y 80 machos. Los animales fueron distribuidos en tres tratamientos de acuerdo al periodo de transporte: 52 EC no fueron transportados y sus mediciones fueron consideradas como niveles basales (GB), 49 EC fueron transportados durante 2 horas (h) (T2) y 45 EC fueron transportados durante 11 h (T11). Se observó una disminución significativa (P < 0,05) en el pH sanguíneo, siendo esto más evidente en el grupo T11 (7,23 ± 0,01) originando un estado de acidemia. Asimismo, se observó un incremento significativo (P < 0,05) en las concentraciones de pCO2, glucosa, lactato y porcentaje de hematocrito en el grupo T2 comparado con el grupo T11. En base a los resultados obtenidos se concluye que, periodos de transporte mayores a 2 h originan hiperglucemia, hipercalcemia, hiperlactatemia, hiperpotasemia, acidosis metabólica y un mayor grado de deshidratación en equinos criollos