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In two experiments, using a total of eight rams,24-hr, recordings of jaw movements were made during normal roughage feeding periods and during fasts of 56 and 72 hours. Marked diurnal patterns in rumination time were observed; the peak of rumination activity occurred during the night. Fasting produced a rapid decline in normal rumination activity which ceased after 36 hr. of fast. Normal rumination was partially replaced by intermittent regurgitation patterns, which showed the same diurnal variation as normal rumination but was independent of feed ingestion. Upon refeeding, rumination was initiated soon after the end of the first meal, and increased to normal levels within 24 hours. During normal feeding periods the average time spent ruminating per 24 hr. was 8 hr. 57 min. in experiment 1, and 8 hr. 35 min. in experiment 2. In experiments 1 and 2, respectively, average eating time was 5 hr. 37 min. and 6 hr. 15 min.; average idling time was 9 hr. 26 min. and 9 hr. 10 minutes.
Welch et al. (Mon,) studied this question.