Comportamento e bem-estar de touros da raça Charolesa em leilão

Abstract

The beef cattle developed rapidly throughout Brazil. As a result, a form of viable and rapid commercialization of animals, aimed at multiplying the national herd is the auction. The sale at auction breeding recommends selection of animals in three perspective variables who acquires the animals, which are genotype, phenotype and behavior. However, when analyzing behavior, it should be known that these factors have a direct relationship with critical levels of animal welfare, especially in auctions environments. Based on this theme, through this research aimed to evaluate the influence of management at auctions in behavioral responses and bulls welfare level of the Charolais breed. The survey was conducted in commercial auctions (public and private) of the Charolais breed in the states of Parana and Santa Catarina, in the months of July and August 2014. The bulls were subjected to three separate tests, starting with the scale test, through which we evaluated the displacement body posture, tension, breathing, kicking and bellowing. The second test referred to the location Swirls facial hair, noting its location above the eye line between the eye line or below eye level. The third test evaluated the animal's behavior on the track, which was divided into two variables: Entrance score in track and track in moving score. Data were evaluated through a randomized statistical model divided into two treatments (private and public auction). Therefore, it is concluded that the animals that have undergone private auction showed greater aversiveness compared to those who underwent public auction, for the Charolais bulls sold at private auction received less intensive management during the year, compared to bulls marketed in public auction.