Correlation between Intake and Ingestive Behaviour of Confined Holstein-Zebu Crossbred Heifers
R. R. Silva *
Graduate Program in Animal Science, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Itapetinga-BA, Brazil
A. C. Oliveira
Department of Animal Science. Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). Arapiraca Campus. AL Alagoas, Brazil.
G. G. P. Carvalho
Department of Animal Science. Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) Campus Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
F. F. Silva
Department of Animal Science, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Itapetinga-BA, Brazil
B. L. Mendes
Department of Animal Science, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Itapetinga-BA, Brazil.
V. V. S. de. Almeida
Department of Animal Science. Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). Arapiraca Campus. AL Alagoas, Brazil
L. B. O. Rodrigues Rodrigues
Graduate Program in Food Engineering, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Itapetinga-BA, Brazil.
A. A. Pinheiro
Goiás Agency for Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Agricultural Research (EMATER), Goiânia-GO Brazil
A. P. G. Silva
Department of Animal Science, State University of Southwest Bahia (UESB), Itapetinga-BA, Brazil.
R. M. do Prado
Graduate Program in Animal Science, State University of Maringá (UEM), Maringá-PR, Brazil
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between variables referring to feed intake and behaviour of confined Holstein-Zebu crossbred heifers. The experiment was conducted at the dairy unit of the Southwest Bahia State University, campus Itapetinga, Brazil. Sixteen ¾ Holstein x ¼ Zebu heifers with average of 12 months old and initial weight of 150 kg were randomly distributed into four treatments, with four repetitions. A moderate positive correlation was observed between feeding time and NDF and NFC intake variables. The feeding efficiency of NDF was highly correlated with DMI. The variables referring to time of feeding, rumination and boluses per day were observed to be highly correlated with the intake variables, thus showing great potential to draw up predictive equations.
Keywords: Ethology, intake, nutrition, rest, rumination