Temperature-dependent behaviour of elands in the barn during winter

B.Sc. Buhari Yahaya, BA (Hons)

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

AbstractTemperature, as an element of weather, is crucial in determining activity budget of animals. Common elands are among the most adaptive ruminants. Their adaptive nature attracts sensible interest of farmers to keep them in different continents such as Europe. The main aim of this study was to determine the activities of elands during winter housing in relation to weather conditions, mainly temperature but barometric pressure. Forty-nine (49) common elands of mixed sex and different age housed in barn were used as model for this study. Cameras were used to records the behaviours of the animals while Kestrel 4500 was used to record weather element readings. Pearson correlation model and a set of Generalized linear model of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) were used to link the effect of weather elements on behavioural responses in one hand. On the other hand, Circular-linear correlation and plot model of Oriana circular statistical package was used to link time after sunrise and time after sunset with behaviours and weather elements. The results show that resting was the highest performed behaviour followed by eating while moving was the lowest. Between weather elements and the behavioural responses, only barometric pressure and standing behaviour showed significant correlation. There was a positive significant influence (p<0.05) of temperature on eating and standing behaviours while that of ruminating standing and resting was negative in opposite to that of temperature on ruminating lying and moving behaviours. Barometric pressure had positive significant influence (p<0.05) on all the study behaviours except ruminating lying. Circular-linear correlation shows positive significant difference (p<0.05) between time after sunrise and temperature, ruminating standing, eating, resting as well as moving while barometric pressure, ruminating lying and standing show not significant (p>0.05). Furthermore, correlation between after sunset with temperature, ruminating (lying and standing), eating, resting, standing and moving behaviours showed positive significant correlation (p<0.05) while that with barometric pressure showed not significance (p>0.05). The concentration of all the behaviours at the time after sunrise and time after sunset was not significantly different (p>0.05). It is concluded that common elands adapt well to winter in temperate region when enclosed in a barn. Therefore, farmers of this region can keep elands in the barn during winter as cold has no detrimental effects on them.

Keywords

humidity, ruminant, winter housing, Activity budget, feeding, heat stress

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 27. 8. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: doc. Francisco Ceacero Herrador, Ph.D.

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Tropické zemědělství / Animal and Food Sciences in Tropics and Subtropics