Influência da Temperatura Ambiente no Desempenho da Rã-touro, Rana catesbeiana (Shaw, 1802) na Fase de Recria

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of environmental temperature on the bullfrog performance in the growing phase. Four hundred and fuve frogs, weighing 37,5±1,5 grams, were assigned to a randomized experimental design with three treatments (20,2±0,7°C, 25,1±0,4°C and 30,2±0,5°C), five replicates (boxes) and 27 frogs in each replicate. The experimental period was of 45 days, being ten days for adaptation of the frogs to the installations and the feeding. The daily feeding comprised one commercial ration of trout with 45% of crude protein and a fly larva for attraction. The performance of the animals was evaluated and found that the temperature affected significatively affected the consumption of the ration and fly larva and weight gain, however the feed:gain values were not different in the three treatments. The development of the bullfrog is directly related to the environmental temperature, which influences the consumption and utilization of food by the animals.