Shade provision and its influence on water intake and drinking behaviour of Nellore cattle in feedlot in a tropical environment

Heat stress is a significant challenge in tropical beef production systems, affecting feed intake, water consumption, and overall animal welfare. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of shade provision on the water consumption and drinking behaviour of Nellore (Bos indicus) steers in a tropical feedlot environment. A total of 47 steers (~450 kg liveweight) were allocated to two groups: one with access to shade (+S) and another without (-S). Individual water intake, drinking behaviour (e.g., frequency, daily patterns), and animal performance were monitored over 83 days using automated recording systems. Results showed that -S steers consumed 8% more water per day (p<0.001), made more frequent visits to the water trough (p<0.001), but drank less per visit (p<0.001) and overall spend 39% more time per day drinking (p<0.001) compared to the +S steers. Despite these differences in drinking behaviour, average daily gain and feed intake did not differ between groups (p>0.05). Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation influenced water intake in both groups, with higher air temperatures increasing water intake due to greater drinking frequency and higher relative humidity reducing water intake by decreasing visit frequency. Shade provision reduced water requirements per unit of weight gain, improving water-use efficiency. These findings suggest that while shade may not directly enhance liveweight gain, it can optimise drinking behaviour, reduce water consumption, and improve animal welfare in tropical beef production systems.