Intake and ingestive parameters in lambs grazing deferred Urochloa grass with supplements containing different levels of mesquite pod meal

This study aimed to assess the intake of DM and NDF, periodsnumber and efficienciesof feeding, ruminationand idle in Santa Ines lambs, growing on deferred Urochloagrass,receiving 1.5% of PC supplements, protein salt (PS) and concentrates containing the substitution of maize by mesquite pod meal (MP) (10, 35, 60 and 85% based on NM).The experiment was conducted in sheep farm, Ia?u-BA, in partnership with the State University of Southwest Bahia- UESB, Itapetinga, BA, lasting 65 days divided into four sub-periods of 15 days each and five days of data collection in each sub-period. We used 25 lambs Santa In?s, uncastrated, body weight of 23.15 ? 2.54 kg and 120 days of age. The experimental design was randomized completely, with five treatments and five replications. The animals fed PS had higher number of daily feeding periods (9.33) despite lower intake of dry matter (DM). The number of feeding periods varied quadratically (P < 0.05), estimating maximum of 10 periods in 44% of replacing to maize and rumination and idle periods did not differ (P> 0.05) by the inclusion of MP in the concentrate, with average values of 22.93 and 26.33 times per day. The intake of DM per feeding period (76 g/period) was lower (P < 0.05) for protein salt supplementation. The MP levels linearly decreased (P < 0.05) the intake of DM (decrease of 7.8 g for each unit of replacement level) and NDF(2.3 g for each unit of replacement level) per feeding period. The time spent with intake of DM and NDF (h/kg) increased linearly with the MP levels in the supplement. The efficiencies of feeding and rumination, expressed in g DM/h, were influenced by the supplementation type and varied negative linearly (P < 0,05) according to the MP levels in concentrated supplements. When expressed in g NDF/h, there was similarity between the PS and concentrates supplements, with decreased efficiency (P < 0.05) for feeding and rumination of NDF as a function of the replacing of maize by MP.There wasno influence of the types of supplements on the time spent by feeding (0.97 h/period), rumination (0.27 h/period) and idle periods (0.38 h/period), possibly due to changes in feeding parameters during grazing.