The relationship between rumination and the amount of roughage eaten by sheep

Abstract

1. The jaw movements of four sheep were recorded while they were consuming a daily diet consisting of a constant concentrate allowance along with a hay intake varying from 25 or 50 g. daily by daily differences of 25 or 50 g. up to maximum voluntary intake.2. Rumination increased with hay intake in a characteristic way. The actual time devoted to chewing when plotted against hay intake produced a curve consisting of a rapid rise, a fairly level part, a further gradual rise and a final levelling-off. This was less clear when the total rumination time or the total number of regurgitations were compared to the hay eaten.