Variation among pregnant, non‐lactating dairy cows in eating and ruminating behaviour, digestibility and voluntary intake of hay

Abstract The variation between non‐lactating British Friesian cows in eating and ruminating pattern, digestibility and voluntary intake of hay were measured about 4 weeks before calving. Among fourteen of the cows the daily duration of eating ranged from 214 to 462 min and rumination from 410 to 599 min with CV of 20 and 14 respectively. Daily hay intake varied between cows from 5.93 to 11.18 kg dry matter (DM) with a CV of 14. The mean digestibility coefficient of organic matter measured in nineteen cows was 0.57 ± 0.014 s.d. and of cellulose 0.70 ± 0.013 s.d. Intake of hay and cellulose digestibility were correlated (r = 0.51, P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between hay intake and duration of eating (r=0.64, P<0.01) but not between intake of hay and rate of eating. Daily time spent ruminating per kg hay DM eaten was negatively correlated with hay intake (r = 0.66, P<0.01). It is concluded that variation between cows in chewing time and in digestibility of cellulose may be important factors related to variation between cows in voluntary intake of hay.