Comportamento ingestivo de bovinos leiteiros

Abstract

The Brazil has shown steady growth in milk production chain . This growth makes the country occupies the third place in the ranking of world milk production . The Rio Grande do Sul is the state with the highest growth in volume of milk production in the last decade . The State is in second position in the ranking of the largest domestic producers . A major impetus for this development are the families playing service in small farms , along with the intense technification system . Other decisive factors for the expansion of milk in Rio Grande do Sul are the rich soil and livestock type , more used to the cold climate such as Europe . Pastures , good and plentiful , the cows respond immediately , turning pastures in liters of milk. This study aimed to conduct a literature review to characterize the feeding behavior of dairy cattle , and thus assist the producer with the best management techniques , always thinking about the efficiency of milk production allied to animal welfare . The dairy cattle in Brazil occurs mostly on pasture , supplemented with various factors that can influence the feeding behavior of cattle , directly and indirectly affecting productivity . The variables taken into account when observing the feeding behavior are: time of eating, ruminating and idling . Ingestion is all the time that the animal is feeding , or ingesting , while ruminating time is the time that the animal is regurgitating , chewing the cud again , either standing or lying down . However idleness is the period that the animal is not developing any of the foregoing. The knowledge of these factors is of major importance to realize that the most appropriate management animal production , enabling the expression of the behavioral characteristics of animals in order to promote greater gains in production.