Effet du climat tropical humide sur la consommation d'aliment et d'eau et sur la vitesse de croissance de taurillons Créoles en Guadeloupe

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Abstract
Dry matter and water intake as well as weight gain of Creole growing bulls were studied, as a function of climatic conditions in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). Sixteen Creole growing bulls were affected to 4 treatments following a 22 factorial design (2 climatic situations, with and without shelter, and 2 diets: concentrate ad lib and forage ad lib supplemented with concentrate). There was a 8.5% decrease in dry matter intake of the non-sheltered animals fed the concentrate diet as compared with the sheltered ones. The difference was less marked for animals fed forage (2.8%). Weight gain was not affected by the climatic situation. Multiple regression analysis of dry matter intake showed a small effect of some climatic parameters on the non-sheltered animals fed the concentrate diet and no climatic effect on the sheltered ones. In forage-fed animals, the main factor was the dry matter content of the forage. Multiple regression analysis of total water intake showed a relevant effect of the overall radiation, even in sheltered animals; beyond 1500-2000 J .cntdot. cm-2, day-1, water intake of the non-sheltered animals increased very quickly with solar radiation, as compared to the sheltered ones. The Creole growing bulls are well adapted to their thermal environment. They must use evaporation to ensure thermoregulation and drink more when non-shaded to compensate for evaporation losses.