The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets with different levels of fresh orange pulp in substitution to sorghum silage on eating behavior (feeding, rumination and idle)in sheep. Sixteen wethers, crossbred breeds averaging 28.27 kg BW (±2.41) were allotted to a randomized blocks design, with four treatments (0, 25, 50, and 75%), two blocks and two replicates per block. Animals were evaluated by observation during two consecutive days. In the first day, the average number of chewing per ruminal bolus and the average time spending in the chewing per ruminal bolus were evaluated during three periods (8 to 10 hours, 14 to 16 hours and 18 to 20 hours). In the second day, the behaviour was visually determined during 24 hours with five minutes intervals to determine the times spent in idle, feeding, rumination. There was not difference for the time spent with feeding in minutes day and in minutes/kg of DM and NDF. The time spent in rumination and idle in minutes day showed a quadratic effect in function of increased levels of fresh citrus pulp in the diets. The time spent in rumination, in minutes for kg MS, presented decreased linear effect and the time with rumination in minutes/kg NDF there was not difference. No differences on daily feeding number, total chewing time, number of rumination bolus, number of rumination chews per bolus and rumination chews time per bolus were observed. The number of rumination periods and number of rumination chews showed decreasing linear effect.
feeding; idle; rumination
