EFFECTS ON EATING AND RUMINATION BEHAVIOUR IN SHEEP OF FORMIC ACID AND FORMALDEHYDE TREATMENT AND METHIONINE-SUPPLEMENTATION TO LADINO CLOVER FIBROUS RESIDUE SILAGE

The effects of formic acid and formaldehyde treatment and methionine supplementation to ladino clover fibrous residue silage on eating and rumination behaviour were studied in sheep. From the ladino clover fibrous residue, two silage were prepared, either untreated or treated with formic acid and formaldehyde. Four experimental diets: untreated silage, treated silage, untreated silage with supplementation of methionine and treated silage with supplementation of methionine, were offered to four sheep at a restricted level of DM intake (2% of BW/d) twice daily in a two-way layout design. Methionine supplementation with the treated silage significantly (p < 0.05) reduced daily time spent eating, and consequently, markedly increased rate of eating. However, there was little effect of methionine supplementation on the daily time spent eating and eating rate for sheep offered untreated silage. Methionine supplementation with the treated silage reduced daily time spent ruminating, although the same effect was not observed for untreated silage. The rumination index (time spent ruminating/100 g DM eaten) was remarkably smaller (p < 0.05) with methionine supplement in feeding treated silage, although it did not differ for sheep offered untreated silage. There were no clear effect of methionine supplementation on the rumination efficiency (i.e. number of chews/bolus, bolus time and rumination chewing rate) both feeding untreated silage and treated silage.