Aspectos metodológicos do comportamento ingestivo de cabras lactantes alimentadas com farelo de cacau e torta de dendê Methodological aspects of chewing activity of dairy goats fed cocoa meal or palm cake

Objetivou-se definir o intervalo de registro do comportamento ingestivo de cabras Saanen lactantes alimentadas com dietas contendo farelo de cacau e torta de dendê em substituição ao concentrado. Ao final de cada período experimental, cinco cabras (41,6 kg de PV) alojadas em baias individuais foram observadas continuamente (24 horas/dia). O concentrado padrão (milho e farelo de soja) foi substituído por 0, 15 e 30% de farelo de cacau ou torta de dendê. O comportamento ingestivo consistiu dos tempos despendidos em alimentação, ruminação e ócio. Foram testados os intervalos de 10, 15 e 20 minutos contra o registro de observação a intervalos de cinco minutos. O farelo de cacau e a torta de dendê não provocaram alterações no comportamento ingestivo em nenhum dos intervalos avaliados. Não houve diferença entre os tempos médios despendidos em alimentação, ruminação e ócio nos diferentes intervalos de tempo avaliados, indicando que os animais podem ser observados a intervalos de até 20 minutos.<br>The objective of this trial was to compare different time intervals of chewing activity observation on lactating Saanen goats receiving diets containing cocoa meal or palm cake. Five goats averaging 41.6 of body weight were housed in individual pens and fed a diet containing corn and soybean meal as concentrate or diets in which corn and soybean meal was partially replaced by 15 and 30% of cocoa meal or palm cake (% DM). A 5 x 5 Latin square with 13 days for adaptation and two days for data collection was used. Chewing activities included time spent eating, ruminating and idle. Intervals of 10, 15 and 20 minutes of chewing activity observation were compared against the standard approach: observation at every five minutes. Increasing levels of cocoa meal or palm cake in the diet did not significantly change chewing behavior at any time interval. No significant difference was observed on the mean time spent eating, ruminating and idle at the different time intervals indicating that chewing activity of dairy goats fed increasing levels of dietary cocoa meal or palm cake can be measured at every 20 minutes rather than at every five minutes intervals.