This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a heat wave on the milk yield of cows raised in a pasture-based system with access to an automatic milking system. The study was conducted at Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Brazil, using data from 32 days of milk from 68 dairy cows (Holstein x Jersey). The animals had free access to an AMS (DeLaval VMS300), located ~160 m around the pasture area. The microclimate data (air temperature, AT°C, and relative humidity, RH%) were recorded by automatic weather stations (15 min interval). So, we calculated the Black Globe-Humidity Index (BGHI) and determined the heat wave (HW) period. The HW was defined according to the TX90P index (maximum air temperature above the 90th percentile = 31.6 °C, for at least five consecutive days). For the HW, three different periods were defined: pre-heat wave (10 days), heat wave (12 days), and post-heat wave (10 days). Milk yield data were tested for normality using the Shapiro–Wilk test and analysed using a mixed linear model, considering the period as a fixed effect and the cow as a random effect. The highest average values of microclimate variables were found in the heat wave period (AT: 27.1°C; RH: 50.1%; and BGHI: 77) followed by the pre-heat wave period (AT: 22.1°C; RH: 77.9%; and BGHI: 73.5) and the post-heat wave period (AT: 22.2°C; RH: 67.8%; and BGHI: 72.7). A progressive reduction (p<0.001) in milk yield was observed across the periods (pre-heat wave: 17.6 ± 0.8; heat wave: 17.1 ± 0.8; post-heat wave: 16.1 ± 0.8 kg/day). The continued decline in milk yield during the post-heat wave period indicates that the physiological effects of hyperthermia extended beyond the end of the event, reflecting a slower productive recovery. Our results indicate that periods of heat waves compromise milk yield and that this effect persists even after normal thermal conditions are restored.

Sheep farming has been expanding in Brazil, and confinement systems have emerged as an alternative to improve productive performance during winter. This study aimed to evaluate different confinement structures in winter on the total weight gain of hair sheep females. The experiment was conducted at the Sheep Production Sector of UFVJM, Campus JK, Diamantina-MG, using 12 Dorper × Santa Inês crossbred ewes, averaging 40 kg of body weight and 12–24 months of age. A completely randomized design was used with two treatments: closed confinement (1.5 m walls and metal roof) and open confinement (wire fence with shade cloth cover). All animals received the same diet formulated for an average daily gain of 0.10 kg/head/day, divided into two feedings (7 a.m. and 3 p.m.). Body weight was recorded after a 16-hour solid fasting period on 25/07, 08/08, 22/08, and 12/09/2025, totaling 51 days. Data were analyzed using a Generalized Linear Model, and means were compared by Tukey’s test at a 5% significance level. Significant effects were observed for both environment type (p = 0.0086) and confinement duration (p < 0.05) on live weight. The final average body weight was higher (p < 0.05) in the closed confinement (44.5 kg/head) compared to the open one (41.0 kg/head). Weight gain increased steadily (p < 0.05) throughout the experimental period, from 38.5 kg to 46.2 kg/head on day 51. Rectal temperatures remained within the thermoneutral range (mean 39.43 °C) with no significant differences (p > 0.05), indicating physiological stability. The results suggest that closed confinement improved productive performance, likely due to reduced thermal variation and lower energy expenditure for thermoregulation. According to Medeiros et al. (2017) and Franco et al. (2022), controlled environments enhance thermal comfort and nutrient utilization, favoring continuous weight gain.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an agrivoltaic system on the water intake behavior of dairy heifers raised in a tropical climate. The experiment was conducted between July and August 2025, during 12 consecutive days at FMVZ/Unesp–Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Visits to the water trough of 21 dairy heifers (550 ± 55 days old; 247 ± 37 kg, mean ± SD) were registered continuously from 9 h to 16 h. In a crossover design, the heifers were divided into three groups (7 heifers/group) and located in three pasture systems: an open pasture system (OPS), an agrivoltaic system with horizontally arranged photovoltaic panels (AGRIhor), and an agrivoltaic system with vertically positioned panels (AGRIver). The agrivoltaic systems comprised 72 panels divided into 6 paddocks (12 panels/paddock). The data were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model (Poisson family), considering treatment and hours as fixed effects and date as a random effect. In total, 334 water intake events were recorded in the OPS, 343 in the AGRIhor, and 305 in the AGRIver. There was no effect (p>0.05) of agrivoltaic systems in relation to OPS. However, a difference was found between agrivoltaic systems (p = 0.02). The AGRIhor had, on average, 23% more events of water intake than AGRIver. Additionally, there was an interaction (p<0.05) between treatment and hours. The number of water intake events decreased progressively over the observation hours, with a decrease of 22% to 42% compared to the beginning of the observation. The highest number of water intake events (196) was recorded in the first hour of observation (9 h–9:59 h), while the lowest number of events (94) occurred between 12 h and 12:59 h. In conclusion, the arrangement of the agrivoltaic system influenced the heifers’ water intake behavior, indicating that the shading generated by agrivoltaic systems, especially in the horizontal configuration, can modify the behavioral dynamics of heifers in tropical conditions.

Sheep reproduction, survival, and welfare are increasingly challenged by heat, humidity, and unstable forage. Modeling in Nature Food estimates heat stress already causes ~2.1 million lamb losses annually in Australia, rising to ~3.3 million with +3 °C warming, with mating on hot days (≥32 °C) especially harmful. The Temperature–Humidity Index (THI) for small ruminants provides actionable thresholds—moderate 82–<84, severe 84–<86, extreme ≥86 useful for both management and analysis. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) offers a data driven response. Sensor streams accelerometers, location data, and computer vision can generate selection-worthy phenotypes and enable early stress detection. In a Merino cohort (n=160), accelerometer-derived grazing time showed heritability h² = 0.44 ± 0.23 and repeatability 0.70 ± 0.03, indicating sensor traits are improvable through genetic selection. Genomic work in dairy sheep reports heat-resilience heritability around 0.26, suggesting thermotolerance can be selected without sacrificing production. Modern CV pipelines (e.g., YOLO/DeepSORT families) reliably classify eating, lying, and rumination, enabling automated welfare/intake monitoring at scale. Management strategies triggered by PLF signals—timely shade/ventilation and ration adjustments improve comfort and performance, reducing heat-load behaviors. We propose an integrated five-stage system for climate-resilient sheep breeding and operations: (1) quantify heat load with on-farm loggers and THI; (2) extract PLF features (activity bouts, rumination, shade-seeking, grazing time); (3) link features to fertility and survival via mixed-effects models and gradient boosting; (4) estimate genetic parameters and breeding values for sensor-derived heat-tolerance indicators; and (5) deploy real-time triggers (shade/soakers) when locally validated THI thresholds are exceeded. This pipeline converts environmental pressures into measurable, heritable, and decision-useful phenotypes. By coupling continuous sensing with predictive analytics and genomic selection, producers can improve reproductive success and lamb survival while safeguarding welfare—offering a practical path toward climate-resilient sheep systems.

Meat sheep farming has improved its production systems by adopting confinement as a strategy to optimize nutritional management and environmental control, especially during winter. Average daily gain (ADG) is a key indicator reflecting diet efficiency and thermal comfort in facilities. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different confinement structures during winter on the ADG of hair ewe lambs. The experiment was conducted at the Meat Sheep Sector – UFVJM, Campus JK, in Diamantina-MG, using 12 crossbred Dorper × Santa Inês ewe lambs, averaging 40 kg live weight and 12–24 months of age. Animals were distributed in a completely randomized design with two treatments: closed confinement (1.5 m walls and metal roof) and open confinement (fenced with wire mesh and shaded by shade cloth). The diet was formulated for an expected gain of 0.100 kg/head/day, provided twice daily (7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.). Weighings were performed after a 16-hour solid fasting on July 25, August 8, August 22, and September 12, 2025, totaling 51 days of evaluation. Environmental and rectal temperatures, and wind speeds, were recorded on the same dates, ranging from 12.3 to 22.5 °C and 0.1 to 0.9 m/s in the closed confinement, and from 14.4 to 25.3 °C and 1.6 to 6.5 m/s in the open system. Data were analyzed using a Generalized Linear Model, and means were compared by Tukey’s test at a 5% significance level. Rectal temperatures averaged 39.43 °C, within the species’ thermoneutral zone. Confinement type significantly affected ADG (p<0.05), with mean values of 0.180 kg/day in the closed and 0.140 kg/day in the open system. The higher gain observed in the closed environment indicates better energy efficiency associated with reduced thermal fluctuations and wind exposure. It is concluded that confinement with half walls and metal roofing provided better productive performance during winter, demonstrating suitable adaptation and efficient nutritional management.

The study was carried out in Bench Maji Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to identify the production systems of the Surma cattle population under farmer management conditions and to identify Surma cattle breeding practices of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the study area. A total of 184 households were considered for questionnaire administration. A purposive multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to determine the number of districts, Kebeles, and households. The data were gathered through field observations, focus group discussions, and semi-structured questionnaires. Livestock rearing was the main (73.4%) means of livelihood for the community in the study area. Natural pasture was the only feed resource for Surma cattle, and cattle were herded on communal grazing land. Traditionally named “Fora”, this nonconventional mineral source is used for supplementing Surma cattle. Most (70.7%) of the respondents practiced castration of males for the purpose of controlling inbreeding, followed by fattening (25.5%). The majority (70.1%) of the farmers in the study area depended on uncontrolled natural mating. The majority (92.9%) of the respondents practiced selecting replacement animals to achieve their breeding objectives. Sixty-seven-point four percent (67.4%) of the pastoralists also mostly depended on coat color (red, 44.6%, Fawn (spotted), 28.3%, white, 23.9%, and black, 3.3%) to replace their animals. The average lactation length was approximately 5.69 months, and the average daily milk per cow was 1.45 liters for Surma cattle. This study provided basic information on traditional knowledge associated with their cattle rearing systems, breeding concepts, selection strategies, breeding objectives, and utilization in the agro-pastoral and pastoral communities in the Surma area. Therefore, substantial interventions must be made to make the sector sustainable, improved, and productive, especially in areas such as herd selection and breeding practices.

This study investigated the effects of in ovo injection of aqueous extracts of phytobiotics (oyster mushroom, garlic, and ginger) and their combinations on growth performance, blood profile, and sex ratio of egg-type chickens. A total of 500 hatching eggs of egg-type chickens were examined. On the 14^th day of incubation, 432 (86.40%) eggs of the egg-type chickens were fertile. The egg-type chicken eggs were divided into eight in ovo injection (0.1 ml/egg) groups of phytobiotics: T1 (control); T2 (oyster mushroom)); T3 (ginger); T4 (garlic); T5 (ginger + oyster mushroom); T6 (garlic + oyster mushroom); T7 (garlic + ginger); and T8 (garlic + ginger + oyster mushroom). Upon hatching, 284 (65.74% hatchability) hatched chicks were obtained. Data were subjected to One-Way Analysis of Variance in a completely randomized design. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by in ovo injection of aqueous extracts of the phytobiotics in pullets at 126 days of age. In the combinations of the phytobiotic extracts, there was a significant (p<0.05) increase in the percentage of male (77.77%) to female (22.23%) chicks. Pullets from eggs that underwent in ovo injection of a combination of phytobiotics had the best (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio (8.66). Packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell, and eosinophil counts were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by the in ovo injection of aqueous extracts of phytobiotics and their combinations, with the highest values (76.10 and 76.20 g/dl) being from birds from eggs that received in ovo injection of a combination of phytobiotics. The study concluded that in ovo injection of phytobiotics at 0.1 ml/egg could be adopted to improve growth performance and manipulate the sex ratio without any deleterious effects on the blood profile of egg-type chickens.

The growing demand for sheep meat has encouraged the adoption of confinement systems, which allow greater environmental and nutritional control, improving animal productive performance. This study aimed to evaluate different confinement structures during the winter on the body condition score (BCS) of hair ewe lambs. The experiment was carried out at the Sheep Production Sector, UFVJM, Diamantina-MG, using 12 Dorper × Santa Inês crossbred ewe lambs, with an average body weight of 40 kg and aged 12 to 24 months, distributed in a completely randomized design with two treatments: closed confinement (1.5 m walls and metal roof) and open confinement (wire fence and shade cloth cover). The animals received a diet formulated for an average daily gain of 0.100 kg/day, offered twice daily at 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. The BCS assessments and weighings were performed after 16 hours of fasting on July 25th, August 8th, August 22nd, and September 12th, 2025, totaling 51 days of evaluation. On the same dates, environmental temperature and wind speed were recorded at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. using a thermometer and anemometer. Temperature and wind speed averaged 12.3–22.5 °C and 0.1–0.9 m/s in the closed confinement and 14.4–25.3 °C and 1.6–6.5 m/s in the open one. Rectal temperatures, measured on weighing days, remained within the thermoneutral range, averaging 39.43 °C, with no difference between confinements (p<0.05). The type of confinement did not influence BCS (p<0.05), but there was a significant effect of time (p<0.001), increasing from 3.29 to 3.93 throughout the experimental period. BCS values ≥3.0 before mating are recommended for better reproductive performance. It is concluded that both systems were effective in maintaining welfare and improving ewe body condition during winter.

INTRODUCTION: Reproductive biotechnologies such as cryopreservation are essential for preserving reproductive potential, particularly in species of high zootechnical value. During ovarian collection and transport, cooling of the tissue is a critical step. In this context, the addition of antioxidant compounds has been investigated to enhance cellular integrity and prevent oxidative and structural damage. Extracts of Punica granatum L. have been widely described for their strong antioxidant properties, promoting cellular protection against free radicals. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of pomegranate extract during ovarian tissue preservation. METHODOLOGY: The ethanolic extract of Punica granatum L. peel (EEPG) was produced according to Nascimento et al. (2018). Ovaries (n = 5) were collected, fragmented, and distributed into groups maintained in 0.9% saline solution supplemented with antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin, 100 μg/mL), in the absence (CTRL) or presence of 10 and 100 μg/mL of EEPG, and stored at 4 °C. Lipid peroxidation was assessed using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) method. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA in GraphPad Prism, with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The following values were obtained: Fresh control (SEM = 0.107975). At 4 h, SEM values were CTRL = 0.565526, 10 μg/mL = 0.105036, and 100 μg/mL = 0.164488; at 12 h, CTRL = 0.998575, 10 μg/mL = 0.118822, and 100 μg/mL = 0.081847; and at 24 h, CTRL = 0.117856, 10 μg/mL = 0.098463, and 100 μg/mL = 0.06771. No significant differences were observed among the experimental groups or between the treated groups and the fresh or conserved controls at any evaluated time point (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: At the tested concentrations, the extract appears to be safe for ovarian tissue, maintaining redox balance throughout the storage period. However, further analysis of follicular morphology is required to confirm the effectiveness of EEPG in preserving ovarian tissue quality.

In automatic milking systems (AMS), the concentrate is commonly supplied in pelleted form due to its higher density and faster ingestion rate. However, this type of feed has a higher cost and lower storage convenience. As an alternative, the use of mash feed is economically advantageous but may result in a low intake rate during milking. Thus, adding water to mash feed can be a potential strategy to shorten feeding time during milking. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding water to mash feed on the intake of dairy cows managed in AMS. The study was conducted at Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, SP, Brazil, during 60 consecutive days. Data from 69 dairy cows (3,99 ± 2,54 years; 149.3 ± 88.3 days in milk) were used. The animals had free access to an AMS (DeLaval VMS™ V300), located (~160 m) around the pasture area. During milking, the system automatically supplied mash feed in the trough, individually adjusted based on milk production data. The experiment was divided into two periods; in the first period (30d), dry mash feed was supplied, while in the second period (30d), the mash feed was offered with the addition of water. Individual intake was automatically recorded by the AMS system as the difference between the amount of feed offered and the amount consumed. As the data did not present normality, comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon test (p<0.05). Cows that consumed mash feed with water showed a higher percentage of intake proportion (91.2 ± 26.6%; p<0.001) compared to the cows that consumed mash feed without water addition (84.4 ± 24.9%). In conclusion, adding water to the mash feed increased feed intake during milking in the automatic system.