The aim of this work was to study the effects of the use of crambe meal replacing soy bean meal on the ingestive behavior of dairy cattle. Four male Holstein x Zebu rumen, with average live weight of 664 kg distributed in a 4x4 latin square design. The treatments consisted of four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets, formulated with a roughage:concentrate ratio of 60:40 based on dry matter (DM). The forage was corn silage (51% DM) and Tifton grass hay (49% DM), and the concentrate was formulated with increasing levels of substitution of soy bean meal by crambe meal at 0%, 2.8%, 6.4% and 11.0% of the diet DM. The feeding behavior was evaluated using the direct method of visual assessment in 10 minute intervals during a 24 hour period. The frequency of feeding, idling time and the animal's position (standing or supine) were recorded. The variables standing and supine did not differ between treatments as well as time spent feeding, ruminating and idling times. The consumption of dry matter and NDF expressed in g/day and gNDF/day respectively, the efficiency of rumination expressed in gDM/min, the efficiency of rumination expressed in gNDF/day and the total chewing time did not differ significantly. However, the efficiency of power (gDM/min) decreased linearly with the inclusion of crambe meal. Periods of the day influenced all the activities. The longer feeding time was observed in the periods after the diet intake and greater rumination activity was observed at night. The replacement of soy bean meal by meal crambe did not affect feeding behavior, except for the feeding efficiency parameter. In this sense, considering the feeding behavior, the replacement of soy bean meal by crambe meal to feed dairy cattle is recommended.
by-product; Crambe abysinica; consumption; feed efficiency; rumination
