BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS OF FEEDLOT BOVINES FED WITH CORN GRAIN, WHITE OAT OR RICE WITH HULL
Abstract
The study evaluated the ingestive behavior of bovines finished in feedlot with high grain diet. Forty-five Charolais and Nelore crossbreds were used, with initial average weight and age of 310 kg and 20 months for the steers and 350 kg and 32 months for the heifers. The animals were randomly distributed in the treatments and blocked according the category. Fifteen animals (8 steers and 7 heifers) were used per treatment, composed by: Rice (85% of rice); Oat (85% oat) and Corn (85% corn), each ingredient plus 15% protein nucleus in addition to calcitic limestone and urea. The animals that received the diet based on corn remained more time in idle, less time on feeding and obtained a higher number of daily meals, when compared to the other treatments. Regarding the rumination time, it was observed that the animals that consumed the diet based on oat spent more time ruminating than the other treatments. The level of NDF in the diet of cattle confined with a non-roughage diet exerts an influence on the time spent by the animals in rumination and leisure, however, the diets do not alter feeding time.
Keywords: High grain. Animal behavior. Whole grain. Idleness. Rumination.
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