Efeito do temperamento bovino sobre as características produtivas em diferentes raças

Abstract

Temperament is the behavioral expression of fear in response to actions taken by man during management activities with animals. The objective of this review was to explore the ways in which the temperament of bovine breeds Taurine and Zebu can interfere with productive characteristics and their relationship with the effects of the environment on the behavior of animals. The Aberdeen Angus breed is originally from the west and northeast of Scotland, in the Angus region and Aberdeen district, giving rise to the breed name since 1835. The Hereford breed has three centuries of genetic improvement, having started its selection around 1800 The breed was formed in Hereford County, England, on rolling land and fertile valleys. Its genetic improvement was focused on the quality of the meat. Their aptitude for meat production (they can reach slaughter at 18-20 months of age) and their easy adaptation to low quality pastures are the characteristics that make the breed famous. Nelore stands out for its rusticity. In Brazil, Nelore is essentially a meat-producing breed. Among the varieties brought from India, it is the one that has been undergoing the most intense selection, with a view to obtaining steers for cutting. Guzerá was the first Zebu breed to arrive in Brazil and its herd has suffered a high degree of mortality in the pre-weaning period, which has caused losses in the production system, this mortality can result in several economic losses, in addition, it can affect also the selection program in which the breed has been included for 40 years. The temperament of the breeds and of each animal, impact on their productivity, although with few studies on the subject, it can be concluded that less reactive animals tend to be more productive.