The Relationships between Rumen Load and Diurnal Eating Pattern of Sheep Fed in Various Time of Access to Feed

Abstract

Four fistulated sheep were offered hay cubes ad lib. for 24, 12, 6 and 3 diurnal eating patterns and the rumen load which were estimated by the torque values of rumen contents were analysed. As the daily time of access to feed was shortened, sheep tried to ingest feed more rapidly with long time for each meal and little rest. However, they could not completely fit their eating activities for given feeding conditions and reduced total daily feed intake. The mean values of daily intake of feed were 2413, 2086, 1869 and 1502g for 24, 12, 6 and 3-hr feedings respectively. The torque values of rumen contents reached the maximum level at the final satiety state (FSS) under all of the four feeding conditions. Regardless of differences in time of access to feed, these torque values at the FSS corresponded equally to 63% of the value of the rumen contents of each sheep estimated by fistula feeding techniques. The characteristics of eating behaviour before and after the PSS (primary satiety state) or FSS were explicable on the basis of the changes in the rumen load. These results seemed to suggest that the daily feed intake and diurnal eating behaviour of the sheep fed roughages are predominantly regulated by the maximum levels of their rumen load. Jpn. J. Zootech. Sci., 52 (3) : [219][220][221][222][223][224][225][226] 1981 Much evidence to show the limiting effects of the rumen contents on the voluntary intake of roughages in ruminants has been provided by a great number of experiments. These results were summarized in various reviews1-3). Transfer of ruminal digesta from a donor 4.5), intraruminal addition of feed6-9), or removal of digesta from the rumen4,5) have all resulted in some compensation in feed intake. EVANS et al.10) reported that particle size, density and dry matter contents changed as the time after feeding elapsed. From the analysis of diurnal feeding behaviour of the sheep in free access, the author has proposed the hypothesis that the distribution of eating activity for the period of twenty-four hours was governed by the diurnal changes in the rumen contents11)

Comportement alimentaire et état de réplétion du réticulo-rumen chez le mouton nourri à volonté de foin de prairie ou de luzerne, avec accès continu ou limité : incidences sur le contrôle physique de l'ingestion

“…Le rôle de l'état de réplétion du RR dans le contrôle de l'ingestion a souvent été étudié par accroissement artificiel de l'encombrement, soit par des vessies remplies d'eau (Campling et Balch, 1961 ;Grovum, 1979), soit par l'introduction de particules indigestibles (Welch, 1967 ;Welton et Baumgardt, 1970) (Aitchison, 1985 (Freer, Campling et Balch, 1962 ;Suzuki, Shinde et Hidari, 1970 ;Faverdin, 1985) et sur moutons (Hidari, 1981 Aitchison et al (1986), Grenet (1987). Cet effet de la prise de nourriture est certainement dû, d'une part à l'activation des fermentations durant le repas (Focant, 1984), ce qui semble confirmé par le fait que ces accélérations des vitesses de disparition soient plus importantes avec le foin de luzerne plus rapidement fermentescible, et d'autre part à l'augmentation du débit réticulo-omasal liée à la prise alimentaire (Buéno, 1975 (Faichney, 1980 ;Poncet et al, 1986 …”

The Physiological Suppressing Factors of Dry Forage Intake and the Cause of Water Intake Following Dry Forage Feeding in Goats — A Review

“…Because of these factors, ruminants raised on dry forage eat large volumes at one time in order to satisfy their nutritional requirements of maintenance and production levels. Therefore, studies of the effects of rumen fill on silage and hay intake in cows and sheep have been carried out as the part of research on factors regulating dry forage intake in ruminants ( Hidari, 1981 ). Campling and Balch (1961) reported that feed intake was decreased when a balloon was inserted into the rumen and inflated with water in cows fed on hay or silage.…”

Influence du rythme de distribution sur les activités alimentaires et l'évolution journalière du contenu ruminal chez le mouton

“…Simultanément, on a mesuré le niveau de remplissage du rumen, en générai à un moment fixe de la journée (Jarrige, 1978). Dans un deuxième temps, les auteurs se sont intéressés à l'évolution journalière du contenu ruminal (Tulloh, Hugues et Newth, 1965;Dulphy, Béchet et Thomson, 1975 ;Paquay, de Baere et Lousse, 1971 ;Hidari, 1981 ;Thomson et al, 1985 …”