Theme 10: Animal Comfort
Description
Modest but constant and progressive is the importance that buffaloes are achieving at the scientific’s, producer’s and consumer’s societies. Feeding behaviour is a continuous act in animals. Motivation is a reversible process of the brain induced by external factors. So, consumption tends to be continuous until another stimulus such as satiation becomes dominant. The majority of large domestic animals is fed “ad libitum”. This originates different situations when they are over or underfed. That is the situation that makes the cyrcadian rithm an important tool to be used in order to achieve maximum gains in rangelands. For half a year, 3 groups of 10 animals each (2 males and 8 females) were observed recording their biological behaviour. Data analysis showed that grazing activity occurred from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. setting the maximum grazing period of six hours per day as long as forage is available. The informations allow to adopt strategies for further feeding studies.
Citation
Alcântara, P. B.; Beisman, D. A.; Alcântara, V. B. G.; and Pereira, A. M. F., "Biological Behaviour of Murrah Water Buffaloes" (2021). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/19/10/1
Included in
Biological Behaviour of Murrah Water Buffaloes
Modest but constant and progressive is the importance that buffaloes are achieving at the scientific’s, producer’s and consumer’s societies. Feeding behaviour is a continuous act in animals. Motivation is a reversible process of the brain induced by external factors. So, consumption tends to be continuous until another stimulus such as satiation becomes dominant. The majority of large domestic animals is fed “ad libitum”. This originates different situations when they are over or underfed. That is the situation that makes the cyrcadian rithm an important tool to be used in order to achieve maximum gains in rangelands. For half a year, 3 groups of 10 animals each (2 males and 8 females) were observed recording their biological behaviour. Data analysis showed that grazing activity occurred from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 5 to 8 p.m. setting the maximum grazing period of six hours per day as long as forage is available. The informations allow to adopt strategies for further feeding studies.
