Ciência Animal Brasileira (Mar 2012)
COMPORTAMENTO INGESTIVO DE OVINOS ALIMENTADOS COM CANA-DE-AÇÚCAR ENSILADA COM ÓXIDO DE CÁLCIO OU UREIA
Abstract
We evaluated the ingestive behavior of sheep fed sugar cane ensiled with urea or calcium oxide. We used 20 Santa Ines castrated lambs, distributed into a completely randomized design, housed in individual boxes. We used four treatments with calcium oxide (0.0, 0.8, 1.6 and 2.4%) and urea (1.5%), both on natural materials. No difference was observed for intake in kg of DM and NDF/day. It was found that the feed in minutes/day and minute/kg of DM and NDF feeding and rumination were similar. There was a linear effect for chewing in hours/day and for resting in minutes/day, among doses of calcium oxide. The efficiency of feeding and rumination (g DM and NDF/hour) presented no significant effect. There was no difference in feeding, rumination and resting, number of periods/day, and feeding and rumination, for a period of time spent (minutes). However, there was increased linear effect for resting. The average intake/feeding period in kg DM and NDF did not show difference. Sugar cane silage with calcium oxide or urea provided to sheep does not affect the periods of feeding and rumination of the animals, as well as it decreases rumination and chewing and increases resting.