Nutritional value of some feedstuffs used in the diet of captive capybaras

Abstract

-Five pen-raised adult female capybaras were used in five digestibility trials in a Latin square design, to determine, for capybaras, the nutritional values of Cameroon grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Cameroon); Napier grass (P. purpureum cv. Napier); corn grain; cassava hay, comprising leaves and stems; and palm kernel (Elaeis guineensis) cake. These feedstuffs were provided separately or mixed, in a completely randomized manner, in different experimental periods. The digestibility of each feedstuff not supplied alone was estimated by difference. The animals were individually introduced in metabolism pens. Following a 10-day period of adaptation to each diet, feed intake was recorded and total fecal output was collected over five consecutive days. Energy, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities of Cameroon grass were, respectively, 0.88 (±0.07, standard deviation), 0.63 (±0.39) and 0.82 (±0.15). For Napier grass they were 0.84 (±0.05), 0.63 (±0.12) and 0.72 (±0.10); for corn grain, 0.92 (±0.05), 0.97 (±0.20) and 0.83 (±0.14); for cassava hay, 0.86 (±0.12), 0.84 (±0.14) and 0.43 (±0.16); and for palm kernel cake 0.94 (±0.05), 0.85 (±0.14), and 0.97 (±0.05). These digestibilities in capybaras were higher than the digestibilities of the same feedstuffs in other livestock. These results can be explained by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the capybara, which lead to a high rate of nutrient digestion and absorption.

Digestive physiology of captive capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

“…The results on nutrient digestibility of the present study generally agree with previous reports (Ferreira, Mendes, & Nogueira‐Filho, ; González‐Jiménez, ). Capybaras were able to digest fiber (NDF) with relatively high efficiency (>50%), almost comparable with ruminants (Barreto & Quintana, ; Ferreira et al, ; Herrera, ; Mendes & Nogueira‐Filho, ). The graphical comparison of the relationship between dietary CF content and aD OM across hindgut fermenting species showed that capybaras, similar to horses, are less adversely affected in digestibility by increasing dietary fiber levels than rabbits or guinea pigs.…”

“… c References; R1: present study, R2: González‐Jiménez (), R4: Ferreira et al (), R5: Nogueira‐Filho, Carvalho, et al (), R7: Bernardi (), R8: Ojasti ().…”

Nutrition of Six Selected Neo-Tropical Mammals in Trinidad and Tobago with the Potential for Domestication

“…The capybara has been described as a large (30–50 kg) herbivorous hindgut fermenter, with active microbial fermentation in the caecum [ 50 ]. When compared to other livestock, their digestibility of the same feedstuff was higher, which could be due to their anatomical and physiological characteristics [ 51 ]. Lower levels of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus caused decreased weight gains and the levels of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus required for maintenance of the capybara was lower than those required by other species [ 52 ].…”