Feeding behavior in lambs fed diets containing crambe cake

Abstract

It was evaluated the feeding behavior of lambs fed diets containing 30% sorghum silage and 70% crambe cake (30:70 diet), and 70% sorghum silage and 30% crambe cake (70:30 diet) under voluntary and controlled consumption. The experimental design used was a 4 × 4 Latin square, with four animals, four periods, and four treatments; feeding behavior was determined by observation. The results indicated that animals fed the 30:70 diet showed higher DM and NDF (g day-1) than those fed the 70:30 diet. Animals fed the 70:30 diet showed longer feeding times (h kg-1 DM), mastication (min kg-1 DM and min kg-1 NDF), rumination (min day-1 and min kg-1 DM), and the largest number of mericics chewing per bolus; however, a higher feed eficiency (g DM h-1) was observed in the 30:70 diet group. Furthermore, animals feeding voluntarily had higher DM intake and chewed for longer. Therefore, the combined results indicated that crambe cake could be used in the diet of sheep without affecting feeding behavior.