The sheep behavior over 24 hours in Tanzania grass irrigated pastures under four supplementation levels (0.0; 0.6; 1.2 and 1.8% LW) was evaluated in this work. A complete randomized design with six replicates (sheep) was used. The percentage of total time under shade, grazing, ruminating, in "other activities", in idleness, the number of supplement/salt ingestions, defecations, urinations, water ingestion and bite rate were estimated, splitting the day in eight periods of three hours (from 5 to 8 a.m.; 8 to 11 a.m.; 11 a.m to 2 p.m; 2 to 5 p.m.; 5 to 8 p.m.; 8 to 11 p.m.; 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.; 2 to 5 a.m). The highest grazing time occurred in animals without supplementation and decreased gradually and increased back again in the supplementation level of 1.8% LW. The rumination time was higher in the supplementation level of 0.6% LW, mainly in the periods from 2 a.m. to 5 p.m and from 5 p.m to 8 p.m. The idleness time was higher in the supplementation level of 1.2% LW. Water ingestion increased up to time the supplementation level of 1.2% LW and was concentrated in the period from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. The urination and defecation frequency was higher in the supplementation level of 1.8% LW. The gradual increase of bite rate up to the supplementation level of 1.2% LW, in the periods from 11 p.m to 8 p.m, with posterior decrease, suggests an additive effect of the supplement on the grass until such level, and a substitutive effect beyond this level. The total time under shade was concentrated in the periods from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m and decreased with the supplementation level up to 1.2% LW. The supplementation level affected the sheep behavior under grazing, where the supplementation level of 1.2% LW presented optimization of the ingestive capacity of the grazing sheep. The highest supplementation levels compromised the ingestive behavior, suggesting that changes on ration formulation in such levels should be implemented.
Brazilian semi-arid; grazing and time; heat stress; Panicum maximum; water ingestion
