Effects of cold exposure on chewing behaviour and rumen particle size in sheep given 4 diets

P.M. Kennedy

Department of Animal Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2P5

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1983, 43: 123-126

The physical breakdown of 4 forage diets in the chopped or pelleted form was studied in 16 closely-shorn wether sheep at room temperatures of approximately 24°C or 3°C. Cold exposure increased the motility of the reticulum (P<0.01) and increased the rate of eating by 21% for the chopped rations and by 7% for pelleted rations. Cold exposure had no consistent effect on rumination behaviour or on the proportion of rumen digesta retained on a 1 mm screen but changed the efficiency of breakdown of large digesta particles of chopped reed canary grass.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Eating behaviour; rumination; particle size; cold stress; sheep

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Last Updated 03-05-1997