Effects of Body Position on Rumination Behavior and Feeding Activity in Sheep, Goats, and Cattle
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v13i12.4064-4070.7976Keywords:
ruminant, animal behavior, rumination, small ruminants, large ruminants, digestionAbstract
The lying behavior and rumination processes of ruminant animals are of great importance in terms of animal welfare, digestive efficiency, and production performance. Studies have shown a direct relationship between lying time and the frequency of rumination. In species such as cattle and sheep, the duration of rumination increases while lying down, contributing to the regulation of stomach movements and the improvement of feed digestion. In this study, it was aimed to determine the diurnal rumination behavior of cattle, sheep, and goats in farms located in the province of Adana. In the Mediterranean Region, during March, continuous observation was conducted to record the rumination behaviors of animals while lying and standing. The obtained data were evaluated by analysis of variance. Statistically significant differences were found among species in terms of the number of rumination events (p<0.001), whereas the effect of body posture was found to be insignificant. Nevertheless, the average value measured in the lying position (64.026) was higher than that in the standing position (61.741) in all species, and individual variability was greater in the lying position. These results indicate that body posture may influence rumination behavior and individual differences.
References
Adin, G., Solomon, R., Nikbachat, M., Zenou, A., Yosef, E., Brosh, A., Shabtay, A., Mabjeesh, S.J., Halachmi, I., Miron, J. (2009). Effect of feeding cows in early lactation with diets differing in roughage-neutral detergent fiber content on intake behavior, rumination, and milk production. Journal of Dairy Science, 92(7), 3364–3373.
Amaral, A. R., Barbosa, J. P., Santana, Á. M., & Pandolfi, J. R. C. (2021). Behavioral and physiological indicators of welfare in small ruminants. Small Ruminant Research, 201, 106424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106424
Arslan, C. (2012). Koyun ve Keçilerde Beslenme Davranışları. İstanbul Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, 33(3), 77-88. https://doi.org/10.16988/iuvfd.23520
Bailey, D. W., Gross, J. E., Laca, E. A., Rittenhouse, L. R., Coughenour, M. B., Swift, D. M., & Sims, P. L. (1996). Mechanisms that result in large herbivore grazing distribution patterns. Journal of Range Management, 49(5), 386–400. https://doi.org/10.2307/4002919
Beauchemin, K.A., Yang, W, Z. (2005). Effects of physically effective fiber on intake, chewing activity, and ruminal acidosis for dairy cows fed diets based on corn silage. Journal of Dairy Science 88(6), 2117–2129.
Beauchemin, K. A. (2018). Invited review: Current perspectives on eating and rumination activity in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 101(6), 4762-4784.
Bell, F. R. & Lawn, A. M. (1957). The pattern of rumination behavior in housed goats. The British Journal of Animal, 5, 85–89.
Borghese, A. (2005). Artificial insemination in water buffaloes. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper No. 131. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Browning, R., & Leite-Browning, M. L. (2011). Comparative behavior of meat goats and sheep on pasture. Journal of Animal Science, 89(2), 626–632.
Cengiz, F. (2006). Hayvan Davranışları. UÜ Veteriner Fakültesi Yayınları. Yayın No: 2006-1. Bursa, 2006.
Cook, N. B., & Nordlund, K. V. (2009). The influence of the environment on dairy cow behavior, claw health and herd lameness dynamics. The Veterinary Journal, 179(3), 360–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.09.016
Desnoyers, M., Giger-Reverdin, S., Sauvant, D., & Duvaux-Ponter, C. (2011). The use of a multivariate analysis to study between-goat variability in feeding behavior and associated rumen pH patterns. Journal of Dairy Science, 94(2), 842–852. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2010-3461
DeVries, T. J., von Keyserlingk, M. A. G., & Weary, D. M. (2003). Effect of feeding frequency and feeding level on the feeding behavior of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 86(12), 4079–4084. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(03)74021-5
Dulphy, J. P., Faverdin, P., Coulon, J. B., Peyraud, J. L., Verite, R., Marquis, B., & Laurent, F. (1995). Quantitative comparison of the feeding and chewing activities in ruminants. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 52(1–2), 145–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-8401(94)00746-T
Fregonesi, J.A., Veira D.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., Weary, D.M. (2007). Effects of bedding quality on lying behavior of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 90, 5468-5472
Forbes, J. M. (1986). The voluntary food intake of farm animals. London: Butterworths.
Gill, W. (2007). Applied sheep behavior. University of Tennessee, Department of Animal Science. Retrieved February 3, 2007, from http://animalscience.ag.utk.edu/sheep/pdf/AppliedSheepBehavior-WWG-2-04.pdf
Gordon, J. G. (1958). The behaviour of grazing animals. British Journal of Animal Behaviour, 6(2), 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-5601(58)80006-4
Gordon, J. G. (1989). Feeding and grazing behaviour of ruminants. In A. Dobson & M. J. Dobson (Eds.), Aspects of digestive physiology in ruminants (pp. 1–18). Cornell University Press.
Gordon, J. G., & McAllister, R. S. (1970). The behaviour of grazing animals. In Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (Vol. 29, pp. 189–198). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1079/PNS19700044
Goetsch, A. L., Gipson, T. A., Askar, A. R., & Puchala, R. (2010). Invited review: Feeding behavior of goats. Journal of Animal Science, 88(10), 361–373.
Göncü S., (2018). Sığır davranışları ve sürü yönetimi. Akademsiyen, Ankara.
Görgülü, M. (2019). Pratik ve teknik süt sığırı besleme. Makrovit, Gıda sanayii.
Gregorini, P., DelaRue, B., McLeod, K., Clark, C.E.F., Glassey, C.B., Jago, J. (2012). Rumination behavior of grazing dairy cows in response to restricted time at pasture. Livest Science 146(1), 95–98.
Hancock, J. (1954). Studies of grazing behavior in relation to grassland management. I. Variations in grazing habits of dairy cattle. Journal of Agricultural Science, 44, 420–429.
Hofmann, R. R. (1989). Evolutionary steps of ecophysiological adaptation and diversification of ruminants: a comparative view of their digestive system. Oecologia, 78(4), 443-457.
Illius, A. W., & Gordon, I. J. (1992). Modelling the nutritional ecology of ungulate herbivores: evolution of body size and competitive interactions. Oecologia, 89(3), 428-434.
Jalali, A. R., Nørgaard, P., Weisbjerg, M. R., & Nielsen, M. O. (2012). Effect of forage quality on intake, chewing activity, faecal particle size distribution, and digestibility of neutral detergent fibre in sheep, goats, and llamas. Small Ruminant Research, 103, 143–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2011.09.004
Kron, T., Tölle, K. H., Kaufmann, O., & Gauly, M. (2024). Comparison of rumination activity in sheep and goats under standardized feeding conditions. Small Ruminant Research, 224, 107104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2023.107104
Lindgren, E. (2009). The importance of rumination in dairy cows. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, 25(1), 55–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2008.10.005
Lu, C. D. (1988). Grazing behavior and diet selection of goats. Small Ruminant Research, 1(3), 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/0921-4488(88)90049-1
Mattachini G, Tamburini A, Zucali M, Bava L, Riva E et al. (2020). Relationships among lying and standing behaviour, body condition score and milk production in primiparous cows. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 19 (1), 772-782. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2020.1793695
Oshiro, S. 1985. Effects of forced feeding on feeding behavior, ruminating behavior and physiological responses in goats. Japanese Journal of Zootechnical Science, 56, 866–871.
Pearce, G. R. (1965). Patterns of rumination in sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 16(5), 803–812. https://doi.org/10.1071/AR9650803
Pereira, G.M., Heins, B.J. (2019). Activity and rumination of Holstein and crossbred cows in an organic grazing and low-input conventional dairy herd. Translational Animal Science 3(4), 1435–1445.
Provenza, F. D., Villalba, J. J., Dziba, L. E., Atwood, S. B., & Banner, R. E. (2003). Linking herbivore experience, varied diets, and plant biochemical diversity. Small Ruminant Research, 49(3), 257–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-4488(03)00143-3
Pulina, G., et al. (2017). Invited review: Current production trends, farm structures, and innovation in sheep and goat farming systems. Animal, 12(7), 1432–1441.
Reith, S., Hoy, S. (2018). Review: behavioral signs of estrus and the potential of fully automated systems for detection of estrus in dairy cattle. Animal, 12 (2), 398-407. https://doi. Org/10.1017/S1751731117001975
Russell, J. B., & Rychlik, J. L. (2001). Factors that alter rumen microbial ecology. Science, 292 (5519), 1119-1122.
Schirmann, K., von Keyserlingk, M. A. G., Weary, D. M., Veira, D. M., & Heuwieser, W. (2009). Technical note: Validation of a system for monitoring rumination in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 92(12), 6052–6055. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2009-2325
Schirmann, K., Chapinal, N., Weary, D.M., Heuwieser, W., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G. (2012’a). Rumination and its relationship to feeding and lying behavior in Holstein dairy cows. Journal Dairy Science, 95(6), 3212–3217.
Schirmann, K., Chapinal, N., Weary, D. M., Heuwieser, W., & von Keyserlingk, M. A. G. (2012b). Short-term effects of regrouping on behavior of prepartum dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 95(4), 1979–1984. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4890
Sjaastad, O.V., Hove, K., Sand, O. (2003). Physiology of domestic animals. Oslo: Scandinavian Veterinary Press. p. 507–527
Soriani, N., Trevisi, E., Calamari, L. (2012). Relationships between rumination time, metabolic conditions, and health status in dairy cows during the transition period. Journal Dairy Science, 90(12), 4544–4554
Sucak, M.G., Göncü, S. (2024). The effect of lying behaviour on rumination in Holstein dairy cows. MOJ Ecology & Environmental Sciences, 9(5), 236‒239.
Tucker, C.B., Jensen, M.B., de Passillé, A.M., Hänninen, L., Rushen, J. (2021). Invited review: lying time and the welfare of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 104 (1), 20-46. https://doi. Org/10.3168/jds.2019-18074
Van Soest, P. J. (1994). Nutritional ecology of the ruminant. Cornell University Press.
Welch, J. G. (1970). Rumination behavior and reticular motility in sheep. Journal of Animal Science, 30(4), 789–793. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1970.304789x
Welch, J. G., & Smith, A. M. (1971). Influence of forage quality on rumination time in sheep. Journal of Animal Science, 32(4), 718–721. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1971.324718x
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
