&lt;b&gt;Correlation between performance and feeding behavior of feedlot lambs fed without roughage diet

Elves De Souza Cardoso,Zeliana Fernandes De Oliveira,Tiago Brandão Freitas,Aracele Prates De Oliveira,Hermógenes Almeida De Santana Junior,Antônio Hosmylton Carvalho De Ferreira

doi:10.4025/actascianimsci.v39i2.33453

<b>Correlation between performance and feeding behavior of feedlot lambs fed without roughage diet

Elves De Souza Cardoso, Zeliana Fernandes De Oliveira + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v39i2.33453

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Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the correlation between performance and feeding behavior of feedlot castrated Santa Ines lambs fed without roughage diet, weighing 20 ± 1,8 kg and four months of age (± 0,34). A completely randomized design was adopted. Correlations were obtained by Pearson’s linear correlation analysis and the t test, and processed on SAS software (version 9.2). The variables number of rumination chews per cud, number of cuds ruminated per day, speed of each chew, and number of rumination cuds per day were positively correlated with the variation in body weight (p < 0.05). For number of cuds ruminated per day, a positive correlation was found with the variations in body weight. Initial and final body weights were positively correlated with the feed and rumination efficiencies of the lambs feeding behavior and with the time per period spent feeding and performing other activities. Feeding time had a positive correlation with variation in body weight per day and the relative variation in body weight. Rumination was positively correlated with performance variables. The correlations show that there is influence between eating behavior and performance.

Highlights

The sheep meat industry has a great potential to contribute to the supply of animal protein in the Brazil
The variables number of cuds ruminated per day (CRD), chewing speed (ChS), time per rumination chew (ChT), and number of rumination chews per day (RChD) were calculated by the following Equation 1: CDR = RUM / TRC; ChS = RChS / TRC; ChT = CRD * RChC; RChC = CRD * RChC
Feeding behavior: time spent feeding (Feeding), ruminating (Rumination), and performing other activities (Other activities); total chewing time (TCT); number of feeding periods (NFP), rumination periods (NRP), and periods performing other activities (NOP); time per feeding period (TFP), per rumination period (TRP), and per period performing other activities (TOP); number of chews per ruminated bolus (RChC); chewing speed (ChS); time per chew (ChT); number of rumination chews per day (RChD); number of cuds ruminated per day (CRD); feed efficiency of dry matter (FEDM), neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (FENDFap), non-fiber carbohydrates (FENFC), and crude protein (FECP); and rumination efficiency of dry matter (REDM) and neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (RENDFap)

Summary

Introduction

The sheep meat industry has a great potential to contribute to the supply of animal protein in the Brazil. To achieve this purpose, feeding strategies should be better studied aiming to stabilize the supply of this product in the market, which compromises the productive chain of the region. Because of this situation, the use of the feedlot for the ovine species has emerged as a viable option due to the irregular rainfall that reduces the availability.

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