Feeding behavior,voluntary intake and digestibility of various summer fodders in sheep and goats

Study was conducted to compare the voluntary intake and digestibility of sheep and goats fed janter (coriandrum sativum),guar (cyamopsis tetragonolba),and cowpea (vigna sinesis) in small ruminants. for this purpose,90 female animals,45 sheep and 45 goats,were randomly selected and divided equally in six groups having three replicate (n=15) in each species under 2×3 factorial arrangements. three fodders (jantar,guar and cowpea) were randomly fed to their respective replicates in both goats and sheep. results showed that eating time was significantly higher in goats than sheep. ruminating time was statistically (p<0.05) different between sheep and goats. sheep and goats showed different eating pattern on offered fodders. drinking time was lower while playing,resting and others activities were higher in goats than sheep. dry matter,crude protein,neutral detergent fiber,acid detergent fiber digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in sheep than goats fed on various summer fodders. dry matter digestibility was varied in both species on all fodders. copyright 2013 zoological society of pakistan.