Researches on Feeding Behavior in Six Months of Age Calves from Romanian Black and White Breed Fed Using Different Feed Space Allowance
Keywords:
calves, feeding behavior, Romanian Black and White breedAbstract
The aim of this paper was to measure the main aspects that characterize the feeding behavior in six months old calves fed using three different feed spaces allowance. During the experiments the following feeding behavior aspects were determined: number of feeding periods, the length of feeding periods and the total length of feeding periods. Results showed that calves spent feeding, on average, 292 minutes in the morning, 198 minutes in the afternoon and only 71 minutes during the night when the length of feeding space was 0.6 m per calf. Calves spent feeding 175 minutes during the morning, 193 minutes during the afternoon and 53 minutes during the night when the length of the feeding space was 0.32 m per calf. Calves spent feeding 255 minutes during the morning, 227 minutes during the afternoon and 30 minutes during the night when the length of the feeding space was 0.28 m per calf. The total time spent feeding by calves was 560 minutes when the length of feeding space was 0.6 m per calf, 421 minutes when the length of feeding space was 0.32 per calf and 512 minutes when the length of the feeding space was 0.28 per calf. There were significant differences (p<0.05) for total time spent feeding by calves between the first experimental variant (0.6 m feeding space per calf) and the second variant (0.32 m feeding space per calf) and between the second experimental variant and the third variant (0.28 m feeding space per calf).
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