This trial aimed to describe and compare the feeding behavior of Jersey cows at the beginning of lactation and fed diets with different fat sources. Fat sources tested were tallow, calcium salts of palm oil and ground soybean, representing sources of mainly saturated, unsaturated-protected and unsaturated fats, respectively. Eight cows weighing 389±27 kg, with body condition score from 3 to 3.5 and yielding 21.8±3.5 L/day, were used. Animals were randomly allocated to treatments according to a replicated Latin square design, with eight animals, four treatments and four experimental periods. Feeding behavior consisted of the daily times of eating, ruminating and idling, number and duration of mean periods of those activities. Feeding behavior was recorded on three days per experimental period, for 24 hours a day at intervals of five minutes, individually for each animal. There were no significant differences concerning feeding behavior attributes among treatments. Probably the absence of treatment effects was due to similar dry matter and NDF intakes.
eating; idling; ruminating
