Depression of dry-matter and water intake in Boran cattle owing to physiological, volumetric and temporal limitations

Abstract

ABSTRACTDry-matter (DM) intake and water consumption were recorded in Borana cattle (Bos indicus) which were subjected to infrequent watering regimes, prolonged walking and night-enclosure. DM intake and water intake were depressed in cows watered every 2nd day (0·04 and 0·16 respectively) and in cows watered every 3rd day (0·1 and 0·3 respectively) as proportions of the food and water intake of daily watered cows. DM intake was further reduced by proportionately 0·05 as a result of a 40-km walk every 3rd day throughout the dry season and by 0·05 as a result of night-enclosure. Digestibility of food was unaffected by treatments. Water intake increased in some months as a result of walking but not as a result of night-enclosure. It is thought that DM intake was depressed with decreasing frequency of watering owing to the physiological effects of dehydration resulting in inappetence. Water consumption fell owing to the constraint imposed by rumen volume at drinking. Walking and night-enclosure independently reduced DM intake as a result of the greatly decreased time available for grazing.