Eight primiparous early lactating Holstein cows (60 ± 23 d postpartum, weighing 530 ± 60 kg) were assigned into a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design for evaluation of different pectin feedstuffs on intake and chewing activities of lactating dairy cows with 4 3-wk periods. Cows were allocated into 4 diets whit 1)10% barley grain, 2)10% sugar beet pulp, 3)10% wheat bran and 4) 10% dried citrus pulp . Each experimental period was 21 d including 14 d adaptation period and 7 d collecting samples. Chewing behavior observations were visually recorded every 5 min for 24 h. The time spent for each animal observation was not more than 5 s. Eating, ruminating, and total chewing times were determined and expressed as minutes per day. Time (expressed in minutes) expended in each activity was calculated by the number of observations recorded multiplied by 5. Total chewing time was considered as the sum of eating and ruminating times. Eating, ruminating, and total chewing times were also expressed as minutes per kg of DM and NDF intakes. Chewing activities data are shown in Table 1).There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the daily intake of DM (kg/d). Eating behavior as minutes per Kg of DMI were not affected by treatments (P > 0.05) but there were significant differences in eating behavior as minutes per kg of NDFI (P < 0.05). Similarly there were significant differences on ruminating and total chewing activities between treatment diets (P < 0.05). These data suggest that, the addition of sources of pectin feedstuffs at 10% levels (dry matter basis) of the dairy cow ration instead of cereal grain; will decrease the cost of milk production without any negative effect on chewing activities.

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