Nycterohemeral eating and ruminating patterns in heifers fed grass or corn silage: analysis by finite Fourier transform.

Deswysen, A.G.;Dutilleul, P.;Godfrin, Jacqueline;Ellis, W C
(1993) Journal of Animal Science : leading source of new knowledge and perspectives in animal science — Vol. 71, n° 10, p. 2739-2747 (1993)

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  • Deswysen, A.G.
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  • Dutilleul, P.
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  • Godfrin, JacquelineUCLouvain
    Author
  • Ellis, W C
    Author
Abstract
Average daily and within-day nycterohemeral patterns of eating and ruminating behavior were determined in six Holstein-Friesian heifers (average BW = 427 kg) given ad libitum access to either corn or grass silage in a two-period crossover design. Rhythm components (number of cycles/24 h) were characterized by finite Fourier transform of the 24-h mastication activities as measured during 4 d by continuous jaw movement recordings. Average daily voluntary intake of corn silage was 8.2% greater (P = .05) than that for grass silage and was associated (P < .05) with fewer meals and shorter daily, unitary eating and ruminating times, and smaller number of rumination boli. Analysis of variance of the daily mean of hourly activities and Rhythm Components 1 to 12 indicated effects of (P < .05) silage type (S), animal (A), period (P), and a significant interaction (S x A x P) for each mastication activity. The finite Fourier transform was reparameterized to express the amplitude (as periodograms) and phase of each rhythm component. Rhythm Components 1, 3, and 4 contributed primarily to explaining the total dispersion of the 24-h series of time spent eating and ruminating, for both silage types and individual heifers. Relative importance of Rhythm Component 1 of time spent eating, indicative of a main circadian pattern, was related positively to pedigree value for milk production (P = .01) and negatively to milk protein concentration (P = .09).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Deswysen, A. G., Dutilleul, P., Godfrin, J., & Ellis, W. C. (1993). Nycterohemeral eating and ruminating patterns in heifers fed grass or corn silage: analysis by finite Fourier transform. Journal of Animal Science : leading source of new knowledge and perspectives in animal science, 71(10), 2739-2747. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/66939 (Original work published 1993)