From November 2005 to October 2006, sixteen buffalo heifers were used
to evaluate the effect of season on grazing behaviour. They grazed a fenced Mediterranean
maquis of ~40ha. Approximately 10% of this area was covered by woodland and shrub vegetation
and the rest of the area by grassy habitat. From December to March, animals
were supplemented with dehydrated beet-pulps and meadow hay administered in the barn.
Behavioural data were collected from March to October. During a 6-h period the behaviour
of a focal animal, chosen at random, was continuously monitored. All observations were
conducted during daylight (between 05.30 and 15.00). During the behavioural observations,
the ingestion of woody or shrub vegetation was rarely observed. The proportion of time
spent grazing was not affected by season (0.600, 0.409, and 0.434, for spring, summer and
autumn, respectively). Animals lay more in summer and autumn than in spring (P