Abstract
Abstract Bite weight, bite rate, and bite dimensions (depth, area, and volume) were compared among six sheep and six goats individually confined indoors in metabolism crates, grazing monoculture turves (41 × 27 cm) of five grasses and four legumes at the vegetative and reproductive stages of growth. Each sampling period was restricted to 12–17 bites. Leguminous swards resulted in a greater overall fresh bite weight (1253 versus 994 mg fresh matter (FM), SE = 41, P < 0.001) despite a shallower bite depth (6.1 versus 22.1 cm, SE = 0.6, P < 0.001) compared with gramineous swards. Animals also obtained a faster bite rate on legumes than on grasses (28 versus 24 bites/min, SE = 0.8, P < 0.001). The taller reproductive swards led to greater bite weight (1297 versus 920 mg FM, SE = 37, P < 0.001), but lower bite rate than vegetative swards (18 versus 33 bites/min, SE = 1; P < 0.001). Consequently, short‐term intake rate did not change significantly with increased maturity (6.1 versus 5.7 g DM/min, SE = 0.2). Mea...
Published Version
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