Forage Intake and Rumination by Sheep

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.9). As hay intake increased, number of chews per minute and per bolus increased (P