A review on the effects of part-time grazing herbaceous pastures on feeding behaviour and intake of cattle, sheep and horses

• Part-time grazing (PTG) ruminants display compensatory ingestive behaviour They achieve levels of performance as good 24 h-grazing if AT is 6-8 h/d. PTG can results in reduction energy expenditure and selective but fibre digestibility could be constrained Beneficial FA milk usually higher than stall-fed Horses show lower intake rates scaled to metabolic weight are less adapted short access time pasture the technique based on time-restricted farmed herbivores, supplemented indoors. This review evaluates effects duration functional responses herbage rate cattle, sheep horses implications these diet selection, digestibility, expenditure, animal welfare, quality their products (milk meat). Ruminants with restricted through increased rate, achieving similar compared ruminants, particularly range depend locomotion and, sometimes, selection a better that offer. Nevertheless, due trituration, reduced, <4 Moreover, content regarded beneficial for consumers'health, such n-3 PUFA rumenic acid, minimum grass 6 h/d cows total mixed rations or 4 concentrate hay. Timing session afternoon evening hours strategy match attitude forage intensively efficiently, favouring intake, produce quality. average probably requirements also need spend part outdoor performing physical activity social behavior. Therefore, they longer ruminants. However, should avoided during periods year day (from midday evening) when non structural carbohydrates (sum starch water soluble carbohydrates) high (> 15 % DM) since it conducive equine syndrome laminitis. In general, improve ruminant horse welfare stall-feeding reference appropriate behavior freedom from some pathologies, although further research needed quantify wider species indicators. To conclude, offers benefits properly managed, stall-feeding.