Drinking and feeding behavior of Ongole Crossbred Heifer with water-free access at MergoAndhini Makmur Farmer Group, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

This study was aimed to determine the effect of the water-free access on drinking and feeding behavior of Ongole Crossbreed (OC) heifer in the Mergo Andhini Makmur farmer group in Bolu Village, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Ten OC heifers with an average body weight of 280 kg divided into two treatment groups. The first treatment (P0) gave water according to the farmer used to give (control group), while the second group (P1) with water-free access. The feed given was forage and concentrate. Feeding and drinking behavior which were feeding duration, frequency of eating, drinking, urination, and defecation during 7 consecutive days were collected then analyzed by One Way ANOVA to see if there were differences between two group of water accessed. The results showed that the frequency of drinking of free access water group was higher (P<0.05) compared to the control group (5.9 2.6 vs 1.00 0.00 times/day), while duration and frequency of eating, frequency of urination, defecation and amount of defecation and urination were not significantly different (P>0.05). The results of this study concluded that Ongole Crossbred heifer needs water-free access than those restricted ones for better performances.