Study on Feeding and Rumination Behavior in Three Months of Age Calves from Romanian Black and White Breed during Summer

The aim of this paper was to measure the main aspects that characterize the feeding and rumination behavior of three months old calves during the summer season when daily temperatures were normal (daily peak of +30°C) and during days with very high temperatures (daily peak +41°C). During the experiments the following feeding and rumination behavior aspects were determined: number of feeding periods, the length of feeding periods, number of ruminating periods and length of rumination periods. Results showed that calves spent feeding, on average 383.7 minutes per day during 13.1 feeding periods with an average length of 29.5 minutes when the when the daily temperatures were normal and 341.7 minutes per day during 12.9 feeding periods with an average length of 26.7 minutes when the daily temperatures were very high. Calves ruminated on average 396.1 minutes per day during 15.6 rumination periods with an average length of 25.5 minutes during the summer season when temperatures were normal (daily peak of +30°C). Calves ruminated on average 331.3 minutes per day during 13.1 rumination periods with an average length of 25.5 minutes during the summer season when temperatures were very high (daily peak of +41°C).