Chewing the cud

[Agrivator]

The thread on feeding oats, asked how many whole grains appear in the dung.

There are far fewer grains passing through where cattle or sheep spend more time cudding.

Has anyone observed the effect on cudding in cattle where they are bedded on either:

Slats, Cubicles, Dirty straw, or Clean straw.

 

[sheepwise]

The thread on feeding oats, asked how many whole grains appear in the dung.

There are far fewer grains passing through where cattle or sheep spend more time cudding.

Has anyone observed the effect on cudding in cattle where they are bedded on either:

Slats, Cubicles, Dirty straw, or Clean straw.

Our finishing cattle are on slats with comfort mats and have 0.5kg oat straw per head in their TMR. Nutritionist walked up shed recently and said he knew diet was good because cattle were content and cudding well although I can't remember number of times per minute he quoted. Also he said that the absence of tail switching and of moving weight from foot to foot was a sign that acidosis was not a problem. Would agree with him as they are currently doing 1.6kg/day.