GRAZING BEHAVIOR HORSES ON DIFFERENT SWARDS

Abstract

Horse preference among four swards was investigated at Federal University of Paraná, on April, 2000. Swards were compounded by Cynodon spp (tifton 85) with Trifolium repens (white clover) and Lotus corniculatus (lotus) in mixture, Paspalum paniculatum (paspalum) in mixture with same legumes, Cynodon spp (tifton 85) with same legumes in side by side strip and Paspalum paniculatum (paspalum) with same legumes in side by side strip. The treatments were allocated in 4 randomized blocks. In each plot, ten plants by species were identified. Height extended of each tiller were measured and legume leaves were counted. Twelve horses (250 kg) were distributed on the blocks and kept during the days of experiment. The preference was evaluated through the largest staying time between the treatments and by grazed tillers. Mixture swards were preferred. The treatments with tifton 85 were preferred, idependent if they were in mixture or strip. Among pure species the preference was the following: tifton 85, white clover, paspalum. The lotus was not preferred. Horses grazed the higher tiller in the grasses and for white clover, plants with more leaves. Measures after grazing in tifton 85 and paspalum showed a linear relationship between tiller height and bite depth. KEY WORDS: Behaviour, diet selection, grasses, horses, legumes.