Abstract
ABSTRACT. de Oliveira K.N., Andréa M.V., Marcondes C.R., Strada E.S. de O., de Sousa S.L.G., Macedo Jr. C.M. & Santos D.R. [Use of showers in the pre milking parlor and its influence on the productivity of Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)]. Utilização de chuveiros na sala pré-ordenha e sua influência na produtividade de búfalas da raça Murrah (Bubalus bubalis). Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 35(1):15-20, 2013. Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Ambientais e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa, 710, Centro, Cruz das Almas, BA 44380-000, Brasil. E-mail: kalyoliveira@hotmail.com The study was conducted with 64 Murrah buffaloes, distributed into one of the two treatments (1 and 2) during six days. In the first treatment, before milking, the animals remained for one hour in the waiting room with access to shower. In the second treatment, animals had no access to shower. The Index of the Temperature of Globe and Humidity and Relative Humidity of the milking parlors and waiting room were collected. The Body Temperature, Respiratory Rate, Reactivity, Stress Level and daily Milk Production were evaluated and analyzed by SAS software. The effect of Respiratory Frequency did not affect (P> 0.57) the milk production. There was no significant difference in the Daily Milk Production for the Reactivity. The Stress Level was the same in both treatments. The regressions for Milk Production on inside Adjusted Index of Globe Temperature and Humidity (IGTH_I) and outside Index Globe Temperature and Humidity (IGTH_E), Body Temperature and Relative Humidity were not significant (P> 0.12). Treatment two presented more animals stressed animals, demonstrating that treatment one could make it possible to change (some animals) of the alert zone or stress to the thermal comfort zone in relation to ITGU_I. In treatment 2, animals were not observed within thermal comfort. The animals submitted to heat stress in both situations effectively used their thermoregulatory system, without interfering the milk production.