Effects of natural and artificial shade on behavior, physiology, and productivity in water buffalo: a narrative review
Although water buffaloes (<i>Bubalus bubalis</i>) are a species known for their adaptability to different environments, their anatomical characteristics make them susceptible to heat stress in hot-humid climate conditions. In productive systems, the provision of natural or artificial shade is an alternative to mitigate the negative effects of heat stress and maintain the animals' thermal balance. However, most of the research addressing shade provision is focused on <i>Bos taurus</i> and <i>Bos indicus</i> species. Thus, the present review aims to discuss the effects of providing natural or artificial shade on physiological, behavioral, and productive parameters of water buffalo as a management strategy to mitigate thermal stress. Some studies in cattle will be used to compare and analyze the effect of shade on animal welfare.
Authors
- Fabiola Torres-Bernal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4697-4823)
- Vívian Fischer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7670-7454)
- Andrea Bragaglio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0893-9704)
- Adriana Domínguez-Oliva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1584-0654)
- V. L. Barile (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6971-3146)
- Adolfo Guadalupe Álvarez-Macías
- Nancy José-Pérez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0427-0206)
- Adriana Olmos-Hernández (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7140-3486)
- Ismael Hernández-Ávalos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4271-2906)
- Lydia Lanzoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4488-4368)
- Arthur Fernandes Bettencourt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8332-163X)
- Mora Medina
- Julio Martínez-Burnes
- Alfonso Juventino Chay-Canul
- Ayman H. Abd El-Aziz
- Eleonora Nannoni
- Daniel Mota-Rojas
Institutions
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (BR)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (IT)
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (JP)
- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (MX)
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (BR)
- International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (US)
- Cereal Research Centre (IT)
- Universidad de Cuautitlán Izcalli (MX)
- Clinical Research Organization (BD)
- Forestry Research Centre (IT)
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (IN)
- Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación (MX)
- Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (IT)
- Department of Animal Husbandry (IN)
- Autonomous University of Tamaulipas (MX)
- Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (MX)
- University of Bologna (IT)
- University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Veterinary Science
- Published
- 2026-03-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1730075
- Primary Topic
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00