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Publication Date

1977

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The chewing and ruminating activities were studied of dairy cows fed grass, alfalfa, and straw of different physical forms. An electronic­ally controlled measuring device was applied. When feeding 8 kg of grass hay (32 % crude fibre in dry matter), the ruminating time was 5: 24 and 1 :49 hours (20,712 and 6,982 ruminat­ing movements) for chopped and ground + pelleted forages, respectively. It declined from 1 : 49 to 0: 0 l hours (from 6,929 to 70 move­ments) when hot-air dried alfalfa (23 % crude fibre) was fed in chopped and ground + pelleted forms, respectively. The ruminating time amounted to 6: 0 hours (22,948 ruminat­ing movements) when feeding 4.5 kg of chopped wheat straw (43 % crude fibre). Pelleting caused it to go down to 1: 48 hours (6,895 movements), whilst grinding in a hammer-mill was found to slightly increase the ruminating time (6: 43 hours). After treating the chopped straw with sodium hydroxide, rumination was found to take 2: 36 hours. The feeds must be rationed in such a way that under the modern conditions of littcrless keeping a total ruminating time of 6.5 to 8.0 hours (25,500 to 28,000 movements in 24 h) can be guaranteed.

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Results of comparative investigations into the chevving and ruminating activities of the dairy cow fed dried forage from grass and leguminous crops

The chewing and ruminating activities were studied of dairy cows fed grass, alfalfa, and straw of different physical forms. An electronic­ally controlled measuring device was applied. When feeding 8 kg of grass hay (32 % crude fibre in dry matter), the ruminating time was 5: 24 and 1 :49 hours (20,712 and 6,982 ruminat­ing movements) for chopped and ground + pelleted forages, respectively. It declined from 1 : 49 to 0: 0 l hours (from 6,929 to 70 move­ments) when hot-air dried alfalfa (23 % crude fibre) was fed in chopped and ground + pelleted forms, respectively. The ruminating time amounted to 6: 0 hours (22,948 ruminat­ing movements) when feeding 4.5 kg of chopped wheat straw (43 % crude fibre). Pelleting caused it to go down to 1: 48 hours (6,895 movements), whilst grinding in a hammer-mill was found to slightly increase the ruminating time (6: 43 hours). After treating the chopped straw with sodium hydroxide, rumination was found to take 2: 36 hours. The feeds must be rationed in such a way that under the modern conditions of littcrless keeping a total ruminating time of 6.5 to 8.0 hours (25,500 to 28,000 movements in 24 h) can be guaranteed.