Correlation between Intake and Feeding Behavior of Holstein Calves Fed Diets Supplemented with Pellets and Mash

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the correlation between behaviour al and intake variables of Holstein calves fed pellets and meal. Twelve pure Holstein calves with initial average age of 10 days and weight of 27.5 kg were used; The experimental design used in this study was a 2 x 2 factorial design (two types of feed and two feeding stages lactation and post-lactation periods), with six repetitions. Was found significant effects the time allocated to eating, rumination and resting. The data concerning the efficiency of feeding and rumination, total chewing time, number of ruminal boluses, rumination time/bolus and the number of chews per cud/bolus and discretization of the time series. There was a moderate positive correlation between the variable behaviour: dry matter per bolus, number of discrete eating and resting periods and the variable of dry matter intake (DMI). There was a strong positive correlation between the variables of behaviour: total chewing time, NDF/BOLUS, ADF/ BOLUS and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) intake variables. There was a negative moderate correlation between the behaviour variable TRP (time resting period) and the NDF and ADF intake variables. According to the correlations found in this study, between the behaviour aspects and intake of NDF and ADF can support studies aimed to the formulation of diets supplemented based the understanding on behaviour of food intake by animals.