Ana Carolina de Sá Silva Lins

The acclimatization of packing houses is essential for human well-being, and, as it is a production environment, it is desirable that environmental variables are homogeneous. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the environment in the selection and packaging area of a climate-controlled grape packing house with an evaporative cooling system, characterizing the spatial thermal variability and identifying critical control points. The climatic variables temperature, relative humidity and wind speed were analyzed, at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00 h during the dry and rainy seasons. Two treatments were evaluated: with evaporative coolers switched on and switched off. The spatial distribution of the variables was mapped by kriging. The evaporative cooling system improved the thermal conditions in the selection and packaging area of the packing house but did not ensure homogenization. Critical points were identified at the beginning of the processing line, in a region further away from the coolers. The use of geostatistics and kriging maps made it possible to identify the spatial variability of climatic attributes and localize problematic regions, which allowed targeted corrections to be made to the factors that compromise human thermal comfort.

Agribusiness workers are regularly exposed to high temperatures, even in covered environments such as packing houses. This study aimed to assess the effect of evaporative coolers on reducing occupational heat exposure for workers and consequently improving the thermal comfort of the selection and packaging areas in a table grape packing house. The evaluation was conducted as per the criteria of the Brazilian legislation, based on the Regulatory Norms (NR’s) 15 and 17 of the Department of Labor. The study was conducted during two climatic production periods, dry and rainy, with the evaporative coolers on and off. With the coolers on, the workers’ occupational exposure to heat was reduced without exceeding the wet bulb globe temperature index tolerance limit for the activities carried out according to the NR 15. However, it did not provide adequate thermal comfort indices according to NR 17. Under semiarid conditions, coolers rendered the environment thermally comfortable for local workers. To reduce the risks to workers’ health, it is suggested that they take breaks in case of discomfort from the heat and provide workers with water and mineral salts to replenish sweat loss.

Our aim was to evaluate the performance, egg quality and intestinal morphology of Hy-line Brown layers fed with phytogenic egg additives. 320 layers of the Hy-line Brown strain aged between 41 and 62 weeks were used, distributed in a completely randomized design consisting of five treatments, eight replications and eight birds per experimental unit. The supplementation of three different phytogenic additives was evaluated: treatment 1 (basal diet); treatment 2 (basal diet + sodium bicarbonate); treatment 3 (basal diet + product 1); treatment 4 (basal diet + product 2) and treatment 5 (basal diet + product 3). Analyses were carried out on days 0, 14 and 21, assessing performance, egg quality and intestinal morphology. There was no significant effect on animal performance, but there was in relation to egg quality. As for intestinal morphology in the jejunum, there was an increase in the number of goblet cells, villus height, crypt depth and villus:crypt ratio. For ileum morphology, there was an increase in the number of goblet cells, villus width and villus:crypt ratio. Thus, it can be inferred that phytogenic additives can be offered in diets for layers between 41 and 62 weeks of age in order to improve egg quality.

Although precooling by forced air is widely used to remove field heat from fresh table grapes, there is no knowledge about its use and efficiency. Factors influencing the process include temperature and relative air humidity, amount and initial temperature of the fruits, air velocity, and packaging. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cooling effect and efficiency of forced air cooling on table grapes in two types of packages. The experimental method used randomized blocks, in a 2 × 3 factorials, corresponding to two package types (polystyrene and cardboard) and three heights on the pallet - lower, middle, and upper - with four replicates. The temperature gradient in the direction of the airflow was evaluated. There was heterogeneity in cooling, both vertically and horizontally, on the pallets with a central heat zone for both the directions. None of the packages was suitable for fast cooling as both types of packages showed a cooling time of 15.5 h; moreover, relative humidity values were far below the ideal value for table grapes.

Considering the challenges faced by poultry farming, this study aimed to develop a neuro-fuzzy model to predict eyeball and crest temperatures of egg-laying hens based on environmental conditions (dry bulb temperature and relative humidity). To develop the models and simulations, Matlab’s Fuzzy Toolbox® (Anfisedit) was used. Different configurations were used for each of the several neuro-fuzzy models developed. Eyeball temperature (ET) and chicken crest temperature (CCT) were simulated from the developed neuro-fuzzy models, and the obtained results were validated with the variables collected experimentally with the aid of recorder sensors and an infrared thermographic camera. The proposed neuro-fuzzy models allow the accurate estimation of ET and CCT of two lineages of egg-laying hens raised in conventional aviaries, thus helping in decision-making for better animal welfare.

Anais do XVII Encontro Nacional de Estudantes de Engenharia Ambiental e V Fórum Latino-Americano de Engenharia e Sustentabilidade (978-85-5722-291-5) - Potencial De Utilização Agrícola De Lodo De Ete Após Higeinização Alcalina E Secagem