Comportamento ingestivo de Ovinos Morada Nova consumindo água com diferentes níveis de salinidade mantidos em ambiente controlado.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the consumption of water containing increasing levels of dissolved solids, by sheep of Morada Nova race but also their feeding behavior, physiological parameters of the race, will undergo two different temperatures in climate chamber. The work was developed in a climate chamber used 18 sheep of the Morada Nova breed, age and average weight of ten months, and 25 ± kg respectively, submitted to two temperatures, 26 and fixed relative air 32 ° C in 65%, and consuming water with three levels of salinity, 3; 6 and 9 dS.m-1. We collected data of physiological parameters such as respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (RT) and surface temperature (TS), the determination of thermal gradients was made by the difference between the rectal and surface temperatures (TR-TS) and between the surface and ambient temperatures (TS-TA) as adaptability parameter. For the evaluation of feeding behavior was used the technique of instant scan every five minutes, completely randomized design in a factorial scheme (2x3) with six replications. Data were evaluated by analysis of variance, and when significant, were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. There was no statistical difference with increasing temperature for the TR and FR, and the TR remained constant and within normal limits. For temperature gradients, temperature was effect (P <0.05) with increasing temperature within the chamber. Ingestive behavior was a reduction in the ruminating time with increasing temperature, and there was an increase in the idle time, but there were no differences in the intake of dry matter and water. With no significant difference between different salinity levels studied for physiological parameters and ingestive. So we can say that the sheep of the Morada Nova race were not affected by water salinity levels up to 9 dS.m-1 and temperature up to 32 ° C, being adapted to the conditions studied.