Investigations on rumen health of different wild ruminants in relation to feeding management
Abstract
In this study, the rumen metabolism of four ruminant species – blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), sika deer (Cervus nippon dybowskii) and addax antelope (Addax nasomaculatus) – from the Nuremberg Zoo was investigated in relation to their feeding management. Parameters of microbial fermentation in the rumen as well as rumen tissue samples were examined. Additionally, the offered and refused food was weighed, analysed and a dietary intake calculation for these ruminant species was performed. Three of the four ruminant species – blackbuck, barbary sheep and addax antelope – all grazers, showed severe characteristics of subacute ruminal acidosis due to a diet high in fermentable carbohydrates (NfE ≥ 55% of DM basis) and low in fibre (XF ≤ 18% of DM basis). This was indicated by numerous microabscesses within the rumen mucosa. These results demonstrate that subacute ruminal acidosis is still a severe problem in captive wild ruminants, which are often fed inappropriate diets with a high concentration of easily digestible carbohydrates.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
