Intervalo de tempo entre observações para avaliação do comportamento ingestivo de tourinhos em confinamento

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to study the intervals of time for observing the ingestive behavior of 36 young crossbred bulls in feedlot. The animals were housed in individual stalls, in a completely randomized design, with three treatments (sorghum silage with 1.0 % concentrate, sugar cane with 1.0 % concentrate and sugar cane with 1.2 % concentrate). Five different intervals between observations were studied. The evaluated parameters were: feeding, rumination and idle, time and frequency, dry matter and neutral detergent fiber intake, total chewing time, feeding and rumination efficiency of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber, as well as, the percentage of the time in that the animals were laying during rumination or idle. The intervals of time did not differ (P>0.05) for analyzed variable of the time and efficiency. The percentage of time in that the animals were laid while ruminating, was 91 %. The frequencies of feeding, rumination and idle, differed (P<0.05) among all intervals. It can be concluded that the evaluation of ingestive behavior can be carried out at 30 minute intervals when did not study the frequency.