The objectives of the present study were to characterize nictemeral pattern of ruminal pH and feed behavior of dairy goats fed diets presenting different ratios of roughage:concentrate. Five non pregnant non lactating goats, ruminally cannulated, and averaging 58 kg were used during the five experimental periods. A 5x5 Latin square was used to evaluate five treatments consisted of roughage to concentrate ratio of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 e 20:80. Diets were fed every 6h in order to reduce ruminal pH variation during the 24h period. After adaptation to experimental diets, a 48h period was given to measure ruminal pH hourly for 24h, to be used as a covariate, following a study of feeding behavior where measurement was taken at every 10 minutes for the remaining 24h period. It was observed that increasing level of concentrate resulted in reduction of pH, especially when concentrate accounted for more than 60%. Treatment effect was also observed on time spent eating, ruminating and idling. Time spent eating was greater as percentage of roughage in the diet increased, especially over 60%. Roughage content of 100% presented the highest value of rumination time and the lowest value for idle, following diets containing 80 e 60% respectively. There were no difference between diets containing 40 e 20% roughage, which presented the lowest value for rumination and the highest for idle time.
goats; etology; ruminal pH; fiber
