Comportamento ingestivo e consumo de forragem por cordeiras em pastagem de azevém sob diferentes ofertas de forragem

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the ingestive behavior and forage intake by lambs on ryegrass pasture under different forage allowance (FA): 6, 9 and 12% of body weight (BW). The grazing method was intermittent and the experimental animals were Suffolk lambs. The experimental design was completely randomized with a split-plot structure, being the forage allowance the main plots and the phenological stages the subplots, and the methods for the determination of intake were the sub-subplots. The intake, in the vegetative stage of ryegrass, is independent of forage allowance. The lower allowances limit the forage intake from pre-flowering, while in the reproductive stage of ryegrass the intake is lower, intermediate and higher in FA 6, 9 and 12% of BW, respectively. The grazing time and bite mass were similar between forage allowances. Lambs remained more time ruminating and less time doing other activities in FA 9 and 12% of BW. The number of stations visited per minute and the time at each station were related to the forage allowance in the vegetative 2 and flowering stages. The bite rate was higher in FA 6 and 9% of the BW and is associated with the canopy height. The number of meals was higher, intermediate and lower in FA 12, 9 and 6% of BW, respectively, and similar at all phenological stages and is associated with the leaf blades participation in the canopy. The duration of the meals was higher in FA 6, intermediate in 9 and lower in 12% and is associated with changes in lambs' bite rate, the leaf blades allowance and leaf blade: stem ratio. In the phenological stages of ryegrass the bite rate is adjusted to compensate for changes in bite mass. The grazing time at the phenological stages of ryegrass is associated with the forage mass and the leaf blades allowance. The duration of the interval between meals is similar between forage allowances and in different phenological stages of ryegrass it is correlated with the activities of rumination and other activities. The estimate of herbage intake on ryegrass pasture is similar when using chromium oxide and fecal nitrogen as markers. The forage intake on the basis of forage allowance is dependent on the canopy structure and is limited in the pre-flowering and flowering, due to the high mass of stems. The phenological stages of ryegrass were more important in changes in pasture structure and ingestive behavior of lambs than the forage allowances used. The bite mass is unchanged by forage allowances ranging from 6 to 12% of BW and any of them can be used in ryegrass pasture.