Meal patterns of pygmy goats fed hay and concentrate ad lib

The meal patterns of pygmy goats fed hay and pelleted concentrate ad lib were recorded and analyzed. The pygmy goats consumed 8 hay meals [6 during the light phase (= light)/2 during the dark phase (= dark)] and 10 concentrate meals (7 during light/3 during dark) during 24 hr (12 hr light/12 hr dark). Sixty-two percent of hay and 74% of concentrate intake occurred during light. Total 24-hr hay (280 g) and concentrate (264 g) intakes were similar, but concentrate was preferred during dark. Concentrate meals were smaller during light than during dark. The mean feeding rate (g/min) within meals for both hay and concentrate was higher during dark than during light. Meal size and duration of postmeal interval were positively correlated for concentrate but not for hay. No significant positive correlation was found between meal size and duration of premeal interval. Separate analysis of diurnal and nocturnal meals indicated that the postmeal correlation for concentrate was evident primarily during dark. The results demonstrate that food intake in pygmy goats shows distinct diurnal variations and suggest that food intake in ruminants is regulated from meal to meal, with different factors prevailing during light and dark.