In this work, it was evaluated the ingestive behavior of indigenous goats from the northeastern semiarid region, kept in feedlot. Forty castrated males, 20 from Moxotó and 20 from Caninde breeds, with average initial weight of 15.22 kg ± 1.78 kg, were used. The goats were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two breeds and two diets. Two experimental diets were evaluated: diet with lower energy level (2.2 Mcal ME/kg dry matter (DM)) formulated with 70:30 roughage:concentrate ratio;and another diet with higher energy level, (2.7 Mcal ME/kg DM) and roughage:concentrate ratio of 35:65. For ingestive behavior, observations were carried out at every five minutes for 24 hours to determine time spent on intake, rumination and idle. Dry matter intake, number of ruminated boli and ruminating chews per day, time of ruminating chews per boli, urinary frequency and frequency of search for water and water intake significantly differed among breeds. Moxoto breed animals showed higher urinary frequency and lower frequency for search for water during the day. However, when Moxoto animals received the diet with 2.7 Mcal ME/kg DM, they excreted less urine. Moxoto and Caninde goats are very selective with greater preference for small particles of the diets, regardless to its energy level. Supply of diets with high level of energy improves feed and rumination efficiency of Moxoto and Caninde goats in feedlot.
feeding; idleness; native breed; rumination
