The comparative digestibility of a zoo diet fed to 13 species of feiid and a badger

Morris, James G.; Fujimoto, Jennifer; Berry, Stephen C.

doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1974.tb00811.x

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Salter et al [1999] reported similar protein (94.6%) and fat (96.9%) digestibilities of two cheetahs fed a horse meat-based diet, as compared with cheetahs in this study. Morris et al [1974] noted DM, OM, and nitrogen digestibilities of three tigers were lower (79.2, 82.5, and 88.8%, respectively) than tigers evaluated in this study. Fat digestibility, however, was consistent with species measured in this study.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 65%

“…Furthermore, complete raw meat diets, various unsupplemented meat sources, or whole prey are often fed in captivity, but may not be suitable for all species. Previous digestibility trials have measured the total tract nutrient digestibility in several large felids, but with very few animals per species, which is due to limited numbers of animals available in zoos; a problem that persists today [Altman et al, 2005;Barbiers et al, 1982;Crissey et al, 1997;Dierenfeld, 1993;Morris et al, 1974;Vester et al, 2008;Wynne, 1989].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Evaluation of nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics of exotic felids fed horse‐ or beef‐based diets: use of the domestic cat as a model for exotic felids

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding commercially available beef- and horse-based diets on nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics of large captive exotic felids and domestic cats. Four species of large exotic felids including cheetahs, Malayan tigers, jaguars, and Amur tigers, and domestic cats were utilized in a crossover design. Raw meat diets included a beef-based diet (57% protein; 28% fat) and a horse-based diet (51% protein; 30% fat). All cats were acclimated to the diet for 16 days followed by a 4 day collection period, where total feces, including one fresh sample, were collected. All feces were scored on collection. Intake did not differ due to diet, but fecal output was greater when cats consumed the horse-based diet. Total tract apparent dry matter (DM) digestibility was higher (P<0.05) and organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) digestibilities were lower (P<0.05) when cats were fed the beef-based diet compared with the horse-based diet. CP digestibility was similar in domestic cats and cheetahs, and greater (P<0.05) than Amur tigers. Fecal scores were lower and fecal DM was greater (P<0.05) when cats consumed the horse-based diet compared with the beef-based diet. Domestic cats had lower (P<0.05) fecal ammonia concentrations compared with all other species. Fecal ammonia concentrations were lowest (P<0.05) when cats were fed the horse-based diet. Fecal total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA), and butyrate concentrations were higher (P<0.05) when cats consumed the beef-based diet. Our results suggest that the domestic cat serves as an appropriate model for large exotic felid species, but differences among the species exist. Decreased nutrient digestibility by tigers and jaguars should be considered when developing feeding recommendations for these species based on domestic cat data.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics of exotic felids fed horse‐ or beef‐based diets: use of the domestic cat as a model for exotic felids

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…From data of Pearson (1975) we calculated rates of weight gain for 2 grizzly bears in southwest Yukon: 0.41 kg/day over 126 days for an adult male and 0.64 kg/day over 16 days for a 2-year-old female that fed intensively on berries of Shepherdia canadensis. Jense 1968, Morris et al 1974 a Zu/Preemcommercial preparation based on horsemeat and meat byproducts (0.51 and 0.63 kg/day) appear similar to rates documented for free-ranging grizzly bears (see also Kingsley et al 1983). The capacity for rapid weight gain is likely a necessary concomitant of the denning habit, which annually enforces a 4to 7-month period of inactivity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 57%

Forage Digestibility and Fitness in Grizzly Bears

Bunnell¹,

Hamilton²

1983

Bears: Their Biology and Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ab st dry matter, crude protein, and gross energy were evaluated for 2 captive grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in 1977 and 1978. Four diets were used: 1 basal (horsemeat plus dog chow), 2 incorporating natural foodstuffs (blueberries and salmon), and 1 containing high fiber (beet pulp). Average apparent digestibilities (% dry weight) for the horsemeat plus dog chow, blueberry, and salmon diets were 82% (dry matter), 90.2%0/ (crude protein), and 88.1% (gross energy). Relative digestibilities of specific foodstuffs in descending order were: blueberries, salmon, and beet pulp. Addition of beet pulp to the diet reduced measured digestibilities to: 48.7% (dry matter), 75.1% (crude protein), and 62.0% (gross energy). Grizzly bears feeding on horsemeat exhibited digestibilities similar to those reported for obligate carnivores. Although U. arctos has evolved omnivorous food habits and morphological adaptations for herbivory, it digests cellulose poorly but has apparently conserved the ability to digest meat efficiently. The ability to digest high quality forage rapidly is presumably a necessary concomitant of denning.

show abstract

“…In the case of several bear diets, a proxy for NfE was calculated using TDF rather than CF values, which were not analyzed in the respective studies. The resulting NfE values were 0%; Harris et al, 1951;Mautz, 1976, 1980;Hamor, 1983;Szymeczko and Skrede, 1991;Ball and Golightly, 1992;Barboza et al, 1994;Skrede, 1995, 1998;Dahlman et al, 2002;Ahlstrom et al, 2003;Silva et al, 2005;Childs-Sanford and Angel, 2006 Felids Acinonyx jubatus, Caracal caracal, Felis concolor, F. margarita, F. pardalis, F. viverrina, F. temminckii, Leptailurus serval, Lynx lynx, L. rufus, Neofelis nebulosa, Panthera leo, P. onca, P. pardus, P. tigris, Prionailurus bengalensis, Uncia uncia Golley et al, 1965;Morris et al, 1974;Wittmeyer Mills, 1980;Barbiers et al, 1982;Hackenburger and Atkinson, 1983;Hamor, 1983;Wynne, 1989;Allen et al, 1995;Crissey et al, 1997;Edwards et al, 2001;Bechert et al, 2002;…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Mustelids Enhydra lutris, Lontra canadensis, Martes pennati, Mustela nigripes, M. nivalis, M. putorius, M. vison, Taxidea taxus Sinclair et al, 1962;Allen et al, 1964;Roberts and Kirk, 1964;Morris et al, 1974;Moors, 1977;Davison et al, 1978;Austreng et al, 1979;Skrede, 1979;GlemHansen, 1980;Harlow, 1981;Chwalibog et al, 1982;Costa, 1982;Rouvinen, 1990;Szymeczko and Skrede, 1990;Rouvinen and Kiiskinen, 1991excl. high-ash diets;Borsting, 1992;Engberg et al, 1993;Skrede, 1995, 1998;Borsting et al, 1995;Hellinga et al, 1997;Mertin et al, 1999;Po¨lo¨nen, 2000;Tauson et al, 2001;Fekete et al, 2005;White et al, 2007 Pinnipeds …”

Section: Hamor 1983mentioning

confidence: 98%

Carnivorous mammals: nutrient digestibility and energy evaluation

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Estimating the energy content is the first step in diet formulation, as it determines the amount of food eaten and hence the concentration of nutrients required to meet the animal's requirements. Additionally, being able to estimate the energy content of a diet empirically known to maintain body condition in an animal will facilitate an estimation of maintenance energy requirements. We collated data on nutrient composition of diets fed to captive wild canids, felids, hyenids, mustelids, pinnipeds, and ursids and the digestibility coefficients from the literature (45 species, 74 publications) to test whether differences in protein and fat digestibility could be detected between species groups, and whether approaches suggested for the estimation of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) content in domestic carnivores (NRC [2006] Nutrient requirements of dogs and cats. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.) can be applied to wild carnivores as well. Regressions of digestible protein or fat content vs. the crude protein (CP) or fat content indicated no relevant differences in the digestive physiology between the carnivore groups. For diets based on raw meat, fish, or whole prey, applying the calculation of ME using "Atwater factors" (16.7 kJ/g CP; 16.7 kJ/g nitrogen-free extracts; 37.7 kJ/g crude fat) provided estimates that compared well to experimental results. This study suggests that ME estimation in such diets is feasible without additional digestion trials. For comparative nutrition research, the study implicates that highly digestible diets typically fed in zoos offer little potential to elucidate differences between species or carnivore groups, but research on diets with higher proportions of difficult-to-digest components (fiber, connective tissues) is lacking.

show abstract

The comparative digestibility of a zoo diet fed to 13 species of feiid and a badger

Cited by 5 publications

References 1 publication

Evaluation of nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics of exotic felids fed horse‐ or beef‐based diets: use of the domestic cat as a model for exotic felids

Evaluation of nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics of exotic felids fed horse‐ or beef‐based diets: use of the domestic cat as a model for exotic felids

Forage Digestibility and Fitness in Grizzly Bears

Carnivorous mammals: nutrient digestibility and energy evaluation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About