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Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DOI

10.55730/1300-0128.4335

Abstract

This study investigates the behavioral activities of grower Beetal kids fed in a conventional method-control group manner orgiven total mixed ration (TMR) (i.e. hay-based - T1 and green fodder-based - T2). Twenty-four weaned Beetal kids were enrolled andrandomly distributed into 3 groups based on their body weight, sex, and age. Behavioral observations were recorded 30 min after givingexperimental ration to the kids using the scan sampling method for 1 h, which inferred time spent eating normally, eating with forelegson the cage, and eating with forelegs on the feeders; standing idle and urination were significantly higher in the control group than in theT1 and T2 groups (p < 0.01). Agonistic activities like bunting were numerically higher for Beetal kids fed with hay-based TMR, followedby the T2 and control groups (not significantly affected). Grooming using other inanimate objects in the pen (p < 0.01) and pawing theground (p < 0.05) were found to be significantly higher in the T1 group than in the other groups. Animals in the hay-based TMR-fedgroup also spent significantly (p < 0.01) more time ruminating while standing compared to the control and T2 groups. During normalsitting activity, the variations were statistically higher (p < 0.05) for the green fodder-based TMR group than the other groups. The haybasedTMR-fed group consumed the offered feed with more relish, ate more quickly, and showed agonistic activities among mates intheir cages or pens.

Keywords

Goats, behavior, activity, total mixed ration, stall-feeding

First Page

41

Last Page

50

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