Ingestion and mastication of feed by dairy cattle.

For fiber in dairy cattle diets to be effective it must be masticated initially during feeding and again during rumination. Time spent chewing is directly related to saliva secretion, which helps buffer the rumen environment and optimizes fiber digestion. Reduction in feed particle size occurs during chewing, which is a prerequisite for passage of feeds from the forestomach, but the extent of particle breakdown during chewing depends upon the feed. Manipulating the dietary concentration of plant cell walls or the physical form of forage can alter chewing behavior and rumen function of the dairy cow, thereby optimizing productivity.