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Weather and seasonal effects in behavioural patterns for grazing cattle

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dc.contributor.authorPaixão, Gustavo
dc.contributor.authorMata, Fernando
dc.contributor.authorCerqueira, Joaquim
dc.contributor.authorAraújo, José Pedro
dc.date.accessioned2026-03-06T16:54:14Z
dc.date.available2026-03-06T16:54:14Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.description.abstractWeather conditions influence grazing cattle behaviour, affecting activities like grazing, ruminating, and resting. Understanding these behavioural responses to temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation is essential for managing livestock welfare and productivity amid changing climate patterns. The study monitored 20 Minhota breed cattle year-round, from January 1 to December 31, 2024 using GPS-accelerometer collars in Northern Portugal. Behaviour and weather data were analysed via canonical correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests to assess seasonal impacts on activity patterns and environmental influences. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were found between all the analysed behaviours between the seasons. Grazing and walking peaked in spring and summer, following greater pasture availability. Conversely, resting and rumination increased in autumn and winter, reflecting lower energy demands and greater reliance on roughage. All recorded behaviours were influenced by the temperature indexes and solar radiation (p < 0.001) and the temperature-humidity-sun-wind index correlated most strongly with resting time reductions (-0.62). Surprisingly, moderate heat stress did not suppress grazing and other behaviours like eating or playing. Rainfall negatively affected grazing while increasing rumination and resting (p < 0.001). Canonical correlation revealed strong links between behaviour and environment, and the two canonical covariate pairs (CCP) explain 79.9 % of the variation between the two sets of variables. Seasonal and heat-related factors shaped distinct activity-rest patterns, highlighting cattle's adaptive strategies and the importance of climate-aware livestock management. These findings highlight the need for climate-adaptive livestock management, including strategic feeding, shelter provision, and flexible grazing practices to mitigate climate change impacts.pt_PT
dc.description.sponsorshipThe authors sincerely thank NaturalMinho for supporting the field work and Innogando for providing the GPS collars. Centre for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability is supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) (UIDB/05937/2020 DOI:10.54499/UIDB/05937/2020 and UIDP/05937/2020 DOI:10.54499/UIDP/05937/2020).pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.citationPaixão, Gustavo; Mata, Fernando; Cerqueira, Joaquim; Araújo, José Pedro (2026). Weather and seasonal effects in behavioural patterns for grazing cattle. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. ISSN 0168-1591. 298, p. 1-8pt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106935pt_PT
dc.identifier.issn0168-1591
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10198/31182
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.publisherElsevierpt_PT
dc.relationCenter for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability
dc.relationCenter for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectCowpt_PT
dc.subjectHeat stresspt_PT
dc.subjectMinhota breedpt_PT
dc.subjectPrecision livestock farming pt_PT
dc.subjectSeasonalitypt_PT
dc.subjectTemperature humidity index
dc.titleWeather and seasonal effects in behavioural patterns for grazing cattle pt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.awardNumberUIDB/05937/2020
oaire.awardNumberUIDP/05937/2020
oaire.awardTitleCenter for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability
oaire.awardTitleCenter for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F05937%2F2020/PT
oaire.awardURIinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP%2F05937%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.endPage8pt_PT
oaire.citation.startPage1pt_PT
oaire.citation.titleApplied Animal Behaviour Sciencept_PT
oaire.citation.volume298pt_PT
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.fundingStream6817 - DCRRNI ID
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.identifierhttp://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
project.funder.nameFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublication42be2cf4-adc4-4e7f-ac60-7aab515b38cd
relation.isProjectOfPublicatione4d218c3-3164-4d1b-a9a5-9beff5ac0b42
relation.isProjectOfPublication39e78a1e-db55-4a54-8d3c-8eede89afe05
relation.isProjectOfPublication30fe8476-b88f-4c74-9b25-5f54d8ba2e1b
relation.isProjectOfPublication.latestForDiscoverye4d218c3-3164-4d1b-a9a5-9beff5ac0b42

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