The effect of diets with sunflower cake originated from biodiesel production on the ingestive behavior and physiological responses of 32 crossbred Boer goats, noncastrated, with initial weight of 15.3±3.2 kg and mean age of 135 days was evaluated. A completely randomized design with four treatments (0, 8, 16 and 24% of sunflower cake inclusion) and eight replicates was used. The rumination and idling times and the total chewing time were not affected by diets, but the ingestion time (min/period and min/day) had an increasing linear effect. The rumination and ingestion efficiencies of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber also did not differ among diets. Regarding the physiological responses of animals, the heart and respiratory frequencies and the surface and rectal temperatures were not influenced by diets. Sunflower cake can be included up to 24% DM in diets of crossbred Boer goats without compromising the ingestive behavior and physiological parameter of these animals. Under the climatic conditions evaluated the supply of diets with up to 24% DM of sunflower cake does not mitigate or enhance the heat stress in kids.
goat; intake; oleaginous cake; rectal temperature; rumination
