Abstract. In this paper we present a few behavioural features of the buffalo grazing, ruminating, resting and the impact of temperature on buffalo's behaviour on pasture in the summer season and stable period. Research was carried out on buffalo populations on private estates in the village of Varfurile and Bontesti, (District of Arad). In buffaloes, the existence of a feeding lot is characteristic. In the summer when the buffalo are held out on the pasture feed was administrated in five period. In stabulation period feed was administered three times a day. During a day were seen two grazing periods: Period from morning until around 12 and the second period starting after 16 pm until around 20. Watering occurs 3 times a day. Resting is the equivalent of ruminating periods and somnolence interrupts these periods of time. If there are puddles or mud holes on the pasture, grazing is limited, as buffaloes prefer mud bathing. On cold weather or on a rainy day, buffaloes spend their resting period standing. Feed quality also influences ruminating. On a high-quality pasture, ruminating has a shorter duration of time than on a more mediocre one, in this latter case ruminating prolonging with 1-3 h. There are two more significant ruminating periods: at noon, between 12 a.m. and 2 p.m., and at night, between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. On the pasture the buffalo are resting in groups, animals keeping a distance of 1 to 5 meters one between another. If on the pasture there are pools with mud, and the temperatures are high, the buffalo cows will spend a lot of time there, about 4 - 6 hours from a whole day. Results show that caring for buffalo’s in this system allows a better valorising of hill and mountain pastures to give satisfactory milk in the studied yields.

Keywords: buffaloes, behavior, pasture, stable

Presentation: oral