The welfare of dairy cows is a major global concern, due to its impact on cow health and productivity, as well as public health. The aim of this study was to identify the main problems related to welfare in dairy herds managed on pasture in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. For this investigation, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 dairy farms in the municipalities of Areia, Alagoa Grande, Serraria, and Pilões, Paraíba, Brazil. Each farm was visited only once, recording the number of cows in the herd, type and number of milkings per day, daily milk yield, and access time to the pasture. Body condition score, cleanliness score, bodily injuries, and qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) were measured. A total of 335 dairy cows were evaluated; herds ranged from 14 to 43 lactating cows, with an average milk yield of 8.4 ± 3.25 kg day-1. Of the 335 cows observed, 26% had a low body condition score, 82% had bodily injuries, and 20% had dirt on their legs. For the QBA, a principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that PC1 had a high correlation mainly with positive body expressions (e.g., sociable, active, and happy), and PC2 was associated with negative terms of body expression (e.g., apathetic, frustrated, and fearful). In conclusion, evaluating indicators of cows’ body condition, bodily injury, and cleanliness highlighted the importance of promoting improvements in pasture, management, and housing conditions to enable better performance, health, and welfare of the animals.

Hair sheep dissipate heat mainly through respiratory evaporation, making panting an important physiological response to heat stress. This study evaluated the panting score (PS) as an indicator of heat stress in field-managed hair sheep. Fifty-two non-pregnant, black-coated Santa Inês ewes were kept in paddocks without shade for five consecutive days from 07:00 to 18:00. Respiratory rate (RR) was recorded every 30 min, vaginal temperature (T_VG) was continuously monitored, and PS was assessed every two hours using a 0–4 scale. Meteorological variables were recorded, and the temperature–humidity index (THI) was calculated. Associations were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation, mixed (T_VG), and generalized additive (RR) models. Animals were exposed to severe and, at times, extreme heat stress conditions (THI ≥ 25.6) between 10:00 and 16:00. PS showed a strong correlation with RR (r = 0.74) and moderate associations with air temperature (r = 0.69), THI (r = 0.49), and solar radiation (r = 0.47). Higher PS values (2–3) predominated during peak solar radiation. Increases in PS were associated with elevations in RR and T_VG (~0.66 °C). Broken-line regression identified a THI inflection point at 24.44, above which the T_VG increase was attenuated by 46%. These results establish PS as a valid field indicator of heat stress in hair sheep and provide a THI inflection point (24.44) above which thermoregulatory capacity is engaged, enabling more accurate on-farm heat stress monitoring in tropical extensive systems in the future.