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Forage Intake and Rumination by Sheep¹

University of Vermont², Burlington 05401

Abstract

Rumination patterns for four daily hay intake levels (400, 800, 1,200 and 1,600 g) were examined using four rams equipped with an automatic jaw motion recording apparatus. The experimental design was an extra-period 4 x 4 latin square with a 6-day period. Data analyzed were taken from the last 48 hr of each period with rumination derived from one meal.

Rumination time, number of chews and number of boluses were influenced (P<.01) by hay intake levels. These indicators of rumination activity increased with increasing hay intake, but the responses were quadratic. In addition, these measures were highly correlated with each other (r>.9). As hay intake increased, number of chews per minute and per bolus increased (P<.01) while number of boluses per minute of rumination time decreased.

The diurnal patterns of the rumination time and the number of chews were similar among treatments. Early in the test period, rumination rate was high and treatments differed, but over time, rate declined and treatment differences diminished.

¹ Vermont Agr. Exp. Sta. Journal Article No. 386.

² Dept. of Animal Sciences.