Ingestion and mastication of feed by dairy cattle.

For fiber in dairy cattle diets to be effective it must be masticated initially during feeding and again during rumination. Time spent chewing is directly related to saliva secretion, which helps buffer the rumen environment and optimizes fiber digestion. Reduction in feed particle size occurs during chewing, which is a prerequisite for passage of feeds from the forestomach, but the extent of particle breakdown during chewing depends upon the feed. Manipulating the dietary concentration of plant cell walls or the physical form of forage can alter chewing behavior and rumen function of the dairy cow, thereby optimizing productivity.     

Relationships between chewing behavior, digestibility, and digesta passage kinetics in steers fed oat hay at restricted and ad libitum intakes

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between chewing behavior, digestibility, and digesta passage kinetics in steers fed oat hay at restricted and ad libitum intakes. Four Hereford steers, with an initial average BW of 136 kg, were used in an experiment conducted as a balanced 4 × 4 Latin square with 4 treatments (levels of intake) and 4 periods. Animals were fed lopsided oat hay (Avena strigosa Schreb.) at 4 levels of intake (as a percentage of BW): 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and ad libitum. Digestibility, chewing behavior, and digesta passage kinetic measurements were recorded during the experimental period. Chewing rates during eating and ruminating [(chews?min(-1))/g of DMI?kg(-1) of BW?d(-1)] decreased (P = 0.018 and P = 0.032, respectively) with increased DMI (g?kg(-1) of BW?d(-1)), whereas total chewing and total time spent on each chewing activity increased. Calculated total energy expended by the chewing activity was 4.2, 4.4, 5.2, and 5.3% of ME intake for DMI of 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% of BW and ad libitum, respectively, indicating that adjustments in animal chewing behavior may be a mechanism of reducing energy expenditure when forages are fed at restricted intake. Hay digestibility decreased (P < 0.001) with increased DMI (r = -0.865). Digesta mean retention time (h) was strongly correlated with DMI (r = -0.868) and OM digestibility (r = 0.844). At reduced intake, hay digestibility was enhanced (P < 0.001) by extending digesta retention time and by increasing chewing efficiency, highlighting the relationship between chewing behavior and the digestive process. Fractional outflow rate of particulate matter from the reticulorumen (k(1)) was positively correlated with total chews, emphasizing that the decrease in particle size caused by chewing facilitates particle flow through the digestive tract. Increased hay intake also increased (P < 0.001) k(1), whereas passage rate of the liquid phase, transit time, and rumen fill were not affected (P > 0.05). The latter was correlated with rumen volume (r = 0.803). In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that animals fed at restricted intake increased chewing rate when eating and ruminating, which, along with a longer digesta retention time, contributed to enhance feed digestibility.     

Behavior and reproductive performance by stalled breeding females on a commercial swine farm

The behavior of stalled females pigs was observed to investigate the relations between behavior and reproductive performance. A commercial farrow-to-finish farm equipped with a computerized recording system with approximately 300 female pig inventories was visited three times to observe three postural behaviors (lying, standing, and sitting) and three stereotypies (vacuum chewing, drinker playing, and bar biting) of stalled females at 15-min intervals for 6 h (25 times including 0 min of one zero-time sampling) after feeding. Relative frequencies (%) of the postural behaviors and the stereotypies for 6 h were expressed as a percentage of a total of 25 time observations. Statistical models for reproductive performance included each behavior, parity, and day of visit. Among 609 pregnant females observed at our three visits, the means in relative frequencies (%) of lying, standing, sitting, vacuum chewing, drinker playing, and bar biting for 6 h were 60.1 +/- 0.91, 32.3 +/- 0.87, 7.60 +/- 0.44, 12.7 +/- 0.65, 0.4 +/- 0.06, and 0.2 +/- 0.50%, respectively. Among 514 farrowed females of the 609 pregnant females, the means of total pigs born, pigs born alive, pigs born dead, birth litter weights, pigs weaned, and adjusted 21-d litter weights were 12.3 +/- 0.13, 11.2 +/- 0.12, 1.1 +/- 0.06, 17.1 +/- 0.18 kg, 10.3 +/- 0.08, and 68.1 +/- 0.40 kg, respectively. Females showing a high relative frequency (> or = 36%) of vacuum chewing during gestation produced fewer (P < 0.05) total pigs born (11.7 +/- 0.38 vs. 12.6 +/- 0.22) than those showing no vacuum chewing. No relationships were found between vacuum chewing and other performance measurements such as pigs born alive, pigs weaned, and adjusted 21-d litter weights. Neither postural behavior nor the other stereotypies were related to reproductive performance. The farrowing rate was not related to any postural behavior and stereotypy in logistic regression mixed models. This study suggests that a subpopulation of females exists on commercial farms that frequently exhibit vacuum chewing and give birth to fewer total pigs. High frequency of vacuum chewing in those females may be indicative of their suboptimal reproductive performance.     

不同饲养模式对妊娠母猪行为、唾液皮质醇和淀粉酶水平的影响

本试验利用母猪行为以及唾液皮质醇和淀粉酶含量探索空间限制对母猪生理心理状态造成的影响。试验选择大白妊娠母猪64头,随机平均分成2组,分别采用限位栏(180 cm×60 cm×110 cm)和群养模式(568 cm×448 cm×50 cm)饲养,群养模式下每圈8头母猪,共4圈。于试验1、3、5、6、8、10、11、13、15周第1、2天分别采用10 min间隔扫描取样法记录母猪行为和采集试验母猪唾液样本,检测唾液皮质醇水平和唾液淀粉酶含量。结果表明:限位栏母猪表现无食咀嚼、啃栏、啃槽行为的次数显著高于群养母猪。限位栏母猪的唾液皮质醇和淀粉酶表现出相反的分泌趋势,无食咀嚼与唾液淀粉酶含量之间存在显著的正相关关系(r=0.336,P=0.048)。群养模式下试验母猪的唾液皮质醇水平、淀粉酶含量与无食咀嚼行为之间没有显著性相关的关系。     

反刍动物日粮物理有效中性洗涤纤维的研究进展

饲料纤维在反刍动物日粮中不仅具有化学成分的重要性,且纤维的物理性状(颗粒大小)还能够影响咀嚼活动、瘤胃发酵、乳脂肪含量及机体健康状况。作者就表征纤维的化学和物理性状的指标——物理有效中性洗涤纤维的定义、内涵、计算方法及对反刍动物进食行为、瘤胃发酵、营养物质消化率和泌乳性能等方面的营养调控功能进行了综述。     

Owner observations can provide data for constructive behavior analysis in normal pet cats in Australia

Feline social behavior is complex, and how it affects on the expression of problem behaviors such as aggression and house soiling is incompletely understood. This study examined whether observations by owners of normal cats were accurate enough to identify individual and social factors affecting the expression of house soiling, aggression, overgrooming, fabric chewing, resisting handling, and nocturnal hyperactivity in Australian pet cats. Four behavior factors, labeled cat-directed aggression (CDA), cat-directed sociability (CDS), biting (B), and human threat (HT), were identified using principal components analysis. These were compared with cat factors, owner factors, and problem behavior. The age of the cat had a significant effect on CDS and HT, whereas the number of cats living together affected CDA and HT. Positive correlations were found between overgrooming and CDA, resisting handling and B and HT, and nocturnal hyperactivity and B. Negative correlations were found between overgrooming and CDS and nocturnal hyperactivity and HT. A positive relationship was found between fabric chewing and nocturnal hyperactivity. Defecating was negatively correlated with CDA, whereas spraying the entrance was found to correlate with CDA, CDS, and B. Directions for future research into causes of feline problem behaviors are discussed.     

Wood chewing by stabled horses: diurnal pattern and effects of exercise

Nine yearling horses, stabled in individual stalls, were used in a trial to determine the diurnal pattern of wood chewing and the effects of exercise on this behavior. The trial was a Latin square design conducted over three 2-wk periods during which each horse was exposed to each of the three following treatments: 1) no exercise (NE), 2) exercise after the morning feeding (AM), and 3) exercise in the afternoon (PM). Horses were fed a complete pelleted feed in the morning and both pelleted feed and long-stemmed hay in the afternoon. Exercise consisted of 45 min on a mechanical walker followed by 45 min in a paddock with bare soil. Each stall was equipped with two untreated spruce boards during each period for wood chewing. Wood chewing was evaluated by videotaping each horse for 22 h during each period, determining the weight and volume of the boards before and after each period, and by visual appraisal of the boards. Intake of trace mineralized salt was also measured. Wood chewing occurred primarily between 2200 and 1200. All measures of wood chewing were correlated when totals for the entire 6 wk were analyzed. When analysis was performed on 2-wk values, videotape results were not correlated with volume or weight loss of boards. Horses chewed more when on the NE treatment (511 s/d) than when on AM or PM (57 and 136 s/d, respectively; P less than .05). Salt intake tended to be greater for NE than for the other treatments (P less than .10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

夏季暑热期不同泌乳阶段奶牛维持行为的比较研究

本次试验对15头中国荷斯坦泌乳牛的行为表现逐头进行12 h观察,并按不同泌乳阶段分三组:A组(泌乳前期)、B组(泌乳中期)、C组(泌乳后期)进行分析,每组均为5头。结果表明:泌乳前期牛的咀嚼次数和每次低头连续采食饲料次(口)数最多,早晨饲喂以后反刍来临时间和咀嚼时间最长,反刍咀嚼速度及每次低头采食频率快。泌乳中期试验牛的昼间反刍时间、昼间反刍时间占昼的时间、每次低头采食时间及每口饲料咀嚼时间都较长。泌乳后期试验牛的昼间反刍周期数较多,食团的吞咽至下一食团的逆呕间隔时间和站立时间均较长。     

Effects of dietary nonstructural carbohydrates and protein sources on feeding behavior of tethered heifers fed high-concentrate diets

To describe the feeding behavior of growing heifers fed high-concentrate diets with different sources of protein and nonstructural carbohydrates, and to explain the ruminal fermentation pattern, 4 ruminally fistulated Holstein heifers (BW = 132.3 +/- 1.61 kg) were assigned to a 4 x 4 Latin square design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Two non-structural carbohydrate sources (barley and corn) and 2 protein sources [soybean meal (SBM) and sunflower meal (SFM)] that differ in their rate and extent of ruminal degradation were combined, resulting in a synchronized, rapid fermentation diet (barley-SFM), a synchronized, slow fermentation diet (corn-SBM), and 2 unsynchronized diets consisting of a rapidly and a slowly fermenting component (barley-SBM and corn-SFM). The corn-SFM diet resulted in a lower frequency of feeding (P < or = 0.05), longer meal length (P < or = 0.043), and larger meal size (P < or = 0.037) than the other 3 diets. Dietary treatment had no effect (P > or = 0.09) on the daily percentages of posture and behaviors. In general, heifers spent 9.97 +/- 0.83% of the day eating, 2.11 +/- 0.42% drinking, 25.13 +/- 1.36% ruminating, 16.97 +/- 1.42% in other activities such as social behavior and self-grooming, and the rest of the day (45.82 +/- 2.55%) resting or doing no chewing activities. Eating, drinking, and social behaviors were performed while standing (P < or = 0.01), whereas resting and ruminating occurred mainly while lying (P = 0.001). Eating took place mainly in the first 4 h after feeding (P = 0.001), whereas ruminating occurred mainly at night (P = 0.001). When chewing activities (eating and ruminating) were expressed per kilogram of DM or NDF from roughage intake, more time (P = 0.004) was spent chewing per kilogram of DMI for barley-based diets, and per kilogram of NDF from roughage intake for barley- (P = 0.01) and SFM- (P = 0.002) based diets. Tethered heifers fed the more fermentable and rapidly synchronized diet (barley-SFM) reduced intake and increased chewing time. With these high-concentrate diets, time spent chewing was inversely related to roughage intake.     

季节对山羊反刍行为的影响

对１６只中卫山羊母羊的青草期和枯草期反刍行为进行观察表明，山羊在青草期，每天（２４ｈｒｓ）有１０个反刍周期，反刍持续总时间为３０４．２分，共反刍４２５．３次，每个食丸在口腔中咀嚼４３．０秒，共咀嚼４６．４次，在枯草期上述指标分别为１１个，４２０．０分，４７２．０次，５３．４秒和５９．６次，季节对山羊反刍行为的影响，本质上决定于羊采食牧草的品质和数量，优质牧草（青草期）能够缩短反刍持续总时间（Ｐ〉０     

Eating and rumination behaviour in Brahman grade cattle and crossbred water buffalo fed on high roughage diet

The purpose of this study is to compare feeding and other behavior and nutrient digestibility of tropical grade Brahman (body weight (BW) = 231 kg ± 12.4; n = 3) and crossbred water buffalo (BW = 300 kg ± 13.9; n = 3). This experiment on digestibility and measures of muscles of mastication utilized one‐way, and animal behavior two‐way, analysis of variance, respectively. Two video camcorders were installed in each pair of buffalo and Brahman for 24 h period programmed on the 107th, 109th and 111th days of the digestion trials. Frequency and duration of feeding, meal intake, rumination, bolus, chews, drinking, defecating, standing and lying were recorded daily. Muscle diameter of Digastricus, Masseter and Pterygoid and different regions of the tongue were sampled and measured under light microscope using a standard micrometer. Buffalo obtained significantly higher intake of dry matter, roughage, crude protein, total digestible nutrient and metabolized energy than Brahman. This was supported by longer meal duration (P ≤ 0.05), and shorter meal breaks (P ≤ 0.05) of buffalo than Brahman. The diameter of the muscles for mastication was bigger (P ≤ 0.05) in buffalo than in Brahman, which is indicative of stronger chewing ability. Briefly, lesser and slower chewing action; higher intake of roughage and crude protein; and longer resting behavior of crossbred water buffalo than Brahman are all indicative of better digestive and metabolic performance of the buffalo under high roughage feeding conditions.     

Preventing behavior problems in puppies and kittens

There are many common issues that owners find problematic with their puppy's or kitten's behavior, such as eliminating in inappropriate locations, chewing, mouthing, growling, and biting. Many of these issues can be prevented or managed by helping owners understand normal canine and feline behavior and by teaching the puppy and kitten socially acceptable behaviors. The focus always should be on rewarding acceptable behaviors rather than punishing unacceptable ones. Puppy Preschool and Kitten Kindergarten classes are an ideal avenue to introduce pet owners to modern, humane ways to train and socialize their pets to be a valuable part of today's society.     

不同饲喂方式对南方奶牛产奶性能、养分消化和代谢的影响

研究了具有南方奶牛日粮类型特征的相同精粗比日粮的不同饲喂方式对奶牛的采食行为、产奶性能、全肠道养分表观消化率和血清代谢产物的影响。选用体重相近的12头荷斯坦奶牛,采用单因子设计,根据产奶量、胎次及泌乳天数随机分为2组（n=6）,分别为精粗分饲组（SI）和全混合日粮组（TMR）,精饲料：粗饲料均为50：50。试验结果表明：奶牛采食量无差异,在相同精粗比日粮下,TMR饲养技术极显著减少了奶牛的采食时间（P〈0.01）,显著增加了反刍时间（P〈0.05）,TMR组奶牛的乳脂率、4%标准奶产量、乳脂产量、乳糖产量和乳固形物产量分别比SI组显著提高11.20%、11.60%、17.50%、13.21%和9.86%（P〈0.05）,但对奶牛咀嚼行为、全肠道养分表观消化率和血清代谢产物影响不显著（P〉0.05）。在南方奶牛典型日粮采用TMR饲养技术时,与精粗分饲相比,可提高奶牛的产奶性能,但对奶牛的采食量、咀嚼行为、全肠道养分表观消化率和血清代谢产物没有显著影响。     

牦牛行为研究及其应用探析

对牦牛的群体争斗、性行为、母性行为、采食、反刍和饮水等社会行为和个体行为进行了综合阐述,分析了牦牛上述行为研究成果在其饲养管理中的指导作用和意义.并就牦牛行为研究中存在的问题进行了分析探讨,提出了该领域今后研究的重点和发展前景.     

Comparison of mandibular motion in horses chewing hay and pellets

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Previous studies have suggested that temporomandibular joint (TMJ) kinematics depend on the type of food being masticated, but accurate measurements of TMJ motion in horses chewing different feeds have not been published. HYPOTHESIS: The temporomandibular joint has a larger range of motion when horses chew hay compared to pellets. METHODS: An optical motion capture system was used to track skin markers on the skull and mandible of 7 horses as they chewed hay and pellets. A virtual marker was created on the midline between the mandibles at the level of the 4th premolar teeth to represent the overall motion of the mandible relative to the skull during the chewing cycle. RESULTS: Frequency of the chewing cycles was lower for hay than for pellets. Excursions of the virtual mandibular marker were significantly larger in all 3 directions when chewing hay compared to pellets. The mean velocity of the virtual mandibular marker during the chewing cycle was the same when chewing the 2 feeds. CONCLUSIONS: The range of mediolateral displacement of the mandible was sufficient to give full occlusal contact of the upper and lower dental arcades when chewing hay but not when chewing pellets. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: These findings support the suggestion that horses receiving a diet high in concentrate feeds may require more frequent dental prophylactic examinations and treatments to avoid the development of dental irregularities associated with smaller mandibular excursions during chewing.     

The association between sow and piglet behavior

Sows in modern pig industry are often housed individually in farrowing crates a few days before farrowing until weaning. These farrowing crates limit movements of the sow and therefore also limit them in expressing their behavior. These limitations may lead to distress with the sow and can result in stereotypical behaviors. Because it is possible that the general behavior of the mother sow also influences her piglets, the hypothesis of the present study was that there is an association between the general behavior of sows and the behavior of their piglets. Our results showed that there was indeed an association between the postures and activities of sows and the behavior of their piglets, not only for nursing–suckling behavior. Results also indicated that piglets prefer resting when sows are resting. When sows were standing up, piglets were running around more. Although there were indications that piglets were more at ease when sows were bar biting compared with when they were sham chewing, a specific relationship between sow stereotypical behavior and piglet behavior could not be demonstrated in the present study. Though, it should be taken in mind that relatively low frequencies of stereotypical behaviors were observed. Furthermore, it could be that not only the prevalence of a specific stereotypical behavior is important but also a specific threshold of that specific behavior should be exceeded to induce effects on the suckling piglets. Alternatively piglets could coinduce stereotypical behavior of the mother sow.     

Behavior Problems in Pet Rabbits

The domestic rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, is descended from the European rabbit, which lives in large social groups and digs extensive warrens. Behavior problems include urine spraying, failure to use the litter box, fear of humans and human-directed aggression, intraspecies aggression, destructive digging and chewing, and infanticide. These problems are best prevented and treated by understanding their origin in both species-specific behavior and learning. Urine spraying is primarily a problem of intact males. Litter box use results from both rabbits’ species-specific tendency to use particular sites for elimination and from training. Rabbits may become fearful of humans because of painful or frightening experiences with them. Rabbits will become comfortable with humans if they have numerous positive interactions with them. Fearful or aggressive rabbits may be treated by repeatedly exposing them to pleasant associations with humans. Rabbits are territorial and may aggressively reject new rabbits that are not members of the group. Introduction of a new rabbit must be gradual, allowing rabbits to become familiar with each other and preventing them from fighting. Digging and chewing are natural, species-specific behaviors. Giving rabbits acceptable objects to chew prevents them from destroying household items. Infanticide originates, in part, from intense competition between wild females for safe nesting sites. Housing birthing does separately may prevent infanticide.     

Behavior problems of equids in zoos

Behavior problems in zoo equids commonly result from a failure to provide for needs basic to equine nature. Equids are gregarious, and failure to provide companions may result in pacing. Wild equids spend 60 to 70 per cent of their time grazing, and failure to provide ad libitum roughage contributes to the problems of pacing, cribbing, wood chewing, and coprophagia. Mimicking the normal processes of juvenile dispersal, bachelor-herd formation, and mate acquisition reduces the likelihood of agonistic and reproductive behavior problems. Infanticide can be avoided by introducing new stallions to herds containing only nonpregnant mares and older foals.     

Behavior, reproduction, and immunity of crated pregnant gilts: effects of high dietary fiber and rearing environment.

The objective of this study was to examine effects of increased gut fill and diverse developing environments on pregnant gilts' behavior and physiology. Gilts were cross-fostered at 1 d of age and transferred to either an indoor or outdoor production unit. Littermate gilts remained in their different environments during development and were moved into individual gestation crates in an indoor gestation unit. Of the 42 gilts, 19 were fed a control diet of fortified sorghum-soybean meal and 23 were fed the same diet with 25% beet pulp (high fiber). Control sows ate 2.0 kg/d and high-fiber sows ate 2.67 kg/d in a large pellet (thus resulting in approximately equal energy intake and differing total dietary intakes). Pregnant gilts had behavior and immune measures sampled at 30, 60, and 90 d of gestation. The day x diet interaction was significant (P = 0.01) for duration of standing: sows fed high-fiber diets stood less on d 30, but on d 60 and 90 they and the control sows stood for a similar duration. Sham chewing duration and frequency showed significant (P < 0.05) effects of gestation stage x diet x environment. Gilts reared outdoors and fed high fiber increased sham chewing over gestation, whereas all other treatment groups decreased this behavior over time. Outdoor-reared gilts had greater (P < 0.05) frequency and duration of drinking behavior than indoor-reared gilts. White blood cell numbers were higher (P < 0.05) for gilts fed high-fiber diets than for gilts fed the control diet. Immune (humoral and cellular systems) and reproductive measures (farrowing rate and litter size) and plasma cortisol concentrations were generally not influenced (P > 0.10) by diets and rearing environments, suggesting that in spite of significant changes in behavior and feed intake gilts' immune systems were not suppressed or enhanced. Behavioral data alone suggested that indoor-reared gilts showed fewer behavioral adaptations to the crates than outdoor-reared gilts. However, immune measures did not indicate that any treatments resulted in physiological effects indicative of stress.     

Optimising oral fluid collection from groups of pigs: effect of housing system and provision of ropes

The effective use of pooled oral fluid (OF) in disease surveillance requires that samples are representative of the group. The aim of this study was to develop a 'rope presentation' protocol to maximise the number of different pigs sampled from a pen of animals. Eight pens of grower pigs in 'fully slatted' accommodation (FS) and 'straw-kennels' (SK) were presented with a balanced sequence of 1-4 ropes. Ropes were presented for 60 min, and the chewing time/pig recorded. Oral fluid was extracted from all of the ropes. Rope provided for 60 min generated chewing in >80% of the group. Pigs in SK exhibited longer latency to interact with the rope (P<0.001), reduced percentage of pigs chewing (P<0.001), and a reduced mean total time spent chewing (P<0.001). An interaction was found between 'system' and 'number of ropes provided' (P<0.05). Increasing the number of ropes increased the mean total chewing time/pig only in the FS. The quantity of OF obtained correlated with the percentage of pigs that chewed the rope (P<0.001) and the mean total time spent chewing/pig (P<0.001). Where the group size was ≤25, presenting one rope for 45 min was sufficient to optimise the number of pigs sampled.