COMPORTAMENTO INGESTIVO E RESPOSTAS FISIOLÓGICAS DE NOVILHOS NELORE EM DIFERENTES CONDIÇÕES DE PASTEJO

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the ingestive behavior and physiological responses of steers under different grazing conditions. Five Nellore steers, weighing an average of 390.78 ± 14 kg BW, were assigned to five experimental treatments: clean pasture without concentrate supplementation (PLSC), dirty pasture without concentrate supplementation (PSSC), clean pasture with concentrate supplementation (PLCC), dirty pasture with concentrate supplementation (PSCC) and free access to pasture without concentrate supplementation (LAPSC). The experimental design was a 5 x 5 Latin Square. The grazing behavior was measured through visual observation at the end of each trial in ten-minute intervals for 24 hours, and the physiological variables comprised rectal temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate. The physiological responses of animals were not affected by treatments. The number of steps performed by the animals kept in treatments PLSC (6.08 steps/min) and PLCC (5.62 steps/min) were significantly lower than those in treatments PSSC (16.84 steps/min) and PSCC (14.58 steps/min), showing increased activity of locomotion in animals in paddocks with weeds.

Keywords

• : heart rate
• locomotion
• pasture
• weeds.