Twenty-four female pluriparous crossbred Maltese goats were used to study the effect of supplementary feeding on goats grazing behaviour. The experiment was carried out between 11 May and 7 June 1992. The goats were allocated to three groups: group 1, receiving 2.4 kg of rehydrated chick-pea grain (300 g dry matter per goat per day); group 2, receiving 2.4 kg crushed whole barley grain (300 g dry matter per goat per day); group 3 (control group), without food supplementation. Within each group the goats were randomly and equally allocated to either treatment 1, with rumen fistula or treatment 2, with faecal rectal bag. The goats grazed during the day from 10:00 to 16:00 h, Italian Summer Time and were penned in the evening in large strawed pens. The grazing activity was recorded by a time sampling technique every ten minutes. Grazing activity significantly increased over the experimental period (P<0.001). Control goats showed higher grazing activity than supplemented animals (P<0.001). Ruminating levels were generally low, but control goats showed higher levels in the afternoon compared to supplemented goats (P<0.01). In general, we conclude that foraging activity is affected by feeding supplementation.
Influence of feeding supplementation on goats grazing behaviour / DE ROSA, Giuseppe; Bordi, Aldo; Napolitano, F.; Vesce, Giovanni; Rubino, R.. - In: CAHIERS OPTIONS MÉDITERRANÉENNES. - ISSN 1022-1379. - STAMPA. - 5:(1994), pp. 57-68.
Influence of feeding supplementation on goats grazing behaviour
DE ROSA, GIUSEPPE;BORDI, ALDO;VESCE, GIOVANNI;
1994
Abstract
Twenty-four female pluriparous crossbred Maltese goats were used to study the effect of supplementary feeding on goats grazing behaviour. The experiment was carried out between 11 May and 7 June 1992. The goats were allocated to three groups: group 1, receiving 2.4 kg of rehydrated chick-pea grain (300 g dry matter per goat per day); group 2, receiving 2.4 kg crushed whole barley grain (300 g dry matter per goat per day); group 3 (control group), without food supplementation. Within each group the goats were randomly and equally allocated to either treatment 1, with rumen fistula or treatment 2, with faecal rectal bag. The goats grazed during the day from 10:00 to 16:00 h, Italian Summer Time and were penned in the evening in large strawed pens. The grazing activity was recorded by a time sampling technique every ten minutes. Grazing activity significantly increased over the experimental period (P<0.001). Control goats showed higher grazing activity than supplemented animals (P<0.001). Ruminating levels were generally low, but control goats showed higher levels in the afternoon compared to supplemented goats (P<0.01). In general, we conclude that foraging activity is affected by feeding supplementation.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.