Influence of work on nutrient utilisation in semicaptive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)

Abstract

Two feeding trials were conducted to evaluate the feed consumption, nutrient utilisation, blood biochemical and faecal microbial profile of working and nonworking semicaptive Asian elephant. During each trial, six captive elephants were placed in two groups of three each. Elephants in one group performed the scheduled work at the park, i.e., 4-h safari with tourists, while the other group performed no work. During nighttime, all the elephants were kept in respective individual enclosure so that feed consumption and faeces voided could be measured accurately. During day time, all the elephants were allowed to forage in nearby forest. Intake (kg/d) of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and sugarcane leaves was more (P < 0.01) in nonworking elephants as compared to working elephants. Working elephants consumed more (P < 0.01) forages during foraging than nonworking elephants. Average daily dry matter intake (DMI) and DMI (% body weight, BW) were comparable between the groups. Apparent digestibility (%) of DM, OM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), hemicellulose, cellulose and gross energy (GE) were higher (P < 0.01) in working than nonworking elephants. Activity of ALT (IU/l) was higher in working as compared to nonworking elephants. The relative population of Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus flavefaciens and total fungi were numerically increased in working elephants as compared to nonworking elephants. It was concluded that 4 h of work has no adverse impact on food consumption and blood metabolite profile of semicaptive Asian elephants; rather it improved the digestibility of nutrients. Work showed positive effect in restricting the calorie supply closer to requirement.

Cellulolytic bacteria in the large intestine of mammals

“… 88 In addition, from a pure culture, it is possible to design nucleotide probes to detect a bacterium of interest in a complex ecosystem after a PCR or q-PCR by electrophorese or FISH method with fluorescent oligonucleotide probes. 20 , 63 , 64 , 66 , 67 , 74 , 79 , 87 88 89 This technique allows targeting a genus or species in a more precise way compared with metagenomic analyses based on the 16S rRNA sequences of a bacterial population ( Figure 7 ).…”

“… 76 R. flavefaciens and R. albus were predominant in the cecal content of conventional rabbits and specific pathogen-free rabbits. 65 R. flavefaciens was also detected in elephants by q-PCR, 63 , 64 and in monkey (rhesus) feces, but not in mouse, rat, or human feces using PCR detection. 77 R. flavefaciens was also detected in gorilla feces by T-RFUP.…”

“… 62 In the elephant, F. succinogenes was also identified in feces by q-PCR. 63 , 64 Both species, F. succinogenes and F. intestinalis , were identified in the rabbit cecum via dot-blot hybridization with 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. 65 In omnivorous mammals, F. intestinalis , but not F. succinogenes , was detected in the mouse cecum by fluorescent-dye-conjugated oligonucleotides, 66 whereas Fibrobacter succinogenes alone was identified in the wild gorilla feces using a 16S rRNA gene clone library and T-RFLP.…”

Conserved core microbiota in managed and free-ranging Loxodonta africana elephants

“…This is all the more interesting since sleep behavior is recognized as a major indicator of elephant wellfare (Schiffmann et al, 2018). Factors like enclosure design complexity and NDF differences between diets with and without browse might also influence daily activity and GM (Clauss and Dierenfeld, 2008;Katole et al, 2014;Scott and LaDue, 2019;Wood et al, 2020). Encouragingly, mimicking wild diets with diverse branch types could enhance GM composition (Table 2), adjusting throughout the year according to tree species' availability (Wood et al, 2020).…”