Description

Ingestive behaviour of yearling Friesian heifers continuously stocked on monocultures of Lolium perenne (G) or Trifolium repens (C) maintained at sward heights of 7-8 cm, was recorded. Bite masses, prehension biting and mastication rates were similar between treatments (211 vs. 230 mg DM prehension bite-1, 61 vs. 55 prehension bites and 11 vs. 13 mastications, min-1 for G and C, respectively). DM intake rates were 12.9 g min-1 for both treatments. Animals grazed longer (536 vs.436 min) and ruminated longer (526 vs. 267 min-1) on G compared with C. Daily intakes were 6.9 vs.5.6 kg DM for G and C. Growth rates for G and C were similar (0.97 vs 0.99 kg live weight d-1). Grass had a lower digestibility than clover (DOMD 60 vs. 77%). It is suggested that cattle have higher intake rates than do sheep because a lower proportion of their total jaw movements are used to masticate herbage.

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How do Cattle and Sheep Alter Ingestive Behaviour in Response to Changes in Sward State?

Ingestive behaviour of yearling Friesian heifers continuously stocked on monocultures of Lolium perenne (G) or Trifolium repens (C) maintained at sward heights of 7-8 cm, was recorded. Bite masses, prehension biting and mastication rates were similar between treatments (211 vs. 230 mg DM prehension bite-1, 61 vs. 55 prehension bites and 11 vs. 13 mastications, min-1 for G and C, respectively). DM intake rates were 12.9 g min-1 for both treatments. Animals grazed longer (536 vs.436 min) and ruminated longer (526 vs. 267 min-1) on G compared with C. Daily intakes were 6.9 vs.5.6 kg DM for G and C. Growth rates for G and C were similar (0.97 vs 0.99 kg live weight d-1). Grass had a lower digestibility than clover (DOMD 60 vs. 77%). It is suggested that cattle have higher intake rates than do sheep because a lower proportion of their total jaw movements are used to masticate herbage.