Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T15:22:41.210Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Seasonality in digestion and rumen metabolism in red deer (Cervus elaphus) fed on a forage diet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

D. O. Freudenberger ,
K. Toyakawa ,
T.N. Barry ,
A. J. Ball  and
J. M. Suttie
D. O. Freudenberger
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
K. Toyakawa
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
T.N. Barry
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
A. J. Ball
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
J. M. Suttie
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Six adult castrated male red deer (Cervus elaphus), fitted with rumen cannulas, were offered chaffed lucerne hay ad lib. during winter and summer, with voluntary food intake (VFI) being respectively 59 and 89 g dry matter intake (DMI)/kg bodyweight 0.75 per d. The same animals were also offered the same feed during summer, with intake restricted to that of winter VFI. The apparent digestibility of gross energy (0.60) or fibre (0.41) and the total capacity (volume) of the rumen were unaffected by season or level of intake. Relative to winter ad lib. feeding, N retention, total rumen pool size (DM +water), rumen pool size as a proportion of capacity, and rumen total volatile fatty acid (VFA) pool size were increased during summer ad lib. feeding. Relative to winter ad lib. feeding, N retention, rumen ammonia irreversible loss rate (IRL), total rumen pool size, rumen pool size as a proportion of capacity, and rumen ammonia and total VFA pool sizes were also increased during summer restricted feeding. Rumen Lignin fractional disappearance rate (FDPR) was lower in summer than in winter, and there was a nonsignificant trend for rumen fractional outflow rate (FOR) of liquid to follow the same trend. Molar proportions of acetate and propionate were unaffected by season, proportions of n-butyrate were slightly higher in summer, and proportions of iso-butyrate and iso-valerate were higher for summer restricted than for winter ad lib. feeding. When intakes were equalized there were no seasonal changes in rate of rumen water outflow, net rumen water balance or intestinal water absorption. It is concluded that there is a seasonal change in rumen physiology in red deer during summer causing increased total rumen pool size (DM + water), an increase in rumen ammonia production and pool size, and an increase in rumen total VFA pool size which are all independent of the increase in VFI. The increased total rumen pool size in the summer restricted group may indicate an increased mean retention time (MRT) of digesta in the rumen. MRT for particulate matter was calculated to be 29.2 and 34.8 h during winter and summer respectively. This, together with increased rumen ammonia production, may function to maintain rumen fibre digestion when VFI normally increases during summer. The increased rumen VFA pool size may indicate increased VFA production during summer, in the same way as ammonia IRL was increased.

Keywords

Red deerDigestionRumen pool sizeAmmonia productionRumen outflow
Type
Digestion of nutrients
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 71 , Issue 4 , April 1994 , pp. 489 - 499
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1994

References

REFERENCES

Barry, T. N., Suttie, J. M., Milne, J. A. & Kay, R. N. B. (1991). Control of food intake in domesticated deer. In Physiological Aspects of Digestion and Metabolism in Ruminants, pp. 385–402 [Tsuda, T, Sasaki, Y and Kawashima, R, editors). San Diego: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Binnerts, W. T., van't Klooster, A. T. & Frens, A. M. (1968). Soluble chromium indicator measured by atomic absorption in digestion experiments. Veterinary Record 82, 470.Google Scholar
Brinklow, B. R. & Forbes, J. M. (1982). Prolactin infusion causes increased nitrogen retention in lambs in continuous darkness. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 42, 38A.Google Scholar
Domingue, B. M. F.Dellow, D. W., Wilson, P. R. & Barry, T. N. (1991 a). Nitrogen metabolism, rumen fermentation, and water absorption in red deer, goats and sheep. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 34, 391–400.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Domingue, B. M. F., Dellow, D. W., Wilson, P. R. & Barry, T. N. (1991 b). Comparative digestion in deer, goats and sheep. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 34, 45–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Domingue, B. M. F., Wilson, P. R., Dellow, D. W. & Barry, T. N. (1992). Effects of subcutaneous melatonin implants during long daylength on voluntary feed intake, rumen capacity and heart rate of red deer (Cervus elaphus) fed on a forage diet. British Journal of Nutrition 68, 77–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faichney, G. J. (1975). The use of markers to partition digestion with in the gastro-intestinal tract of ruminants. In Digestion and Metabolism of the Ruminant, pp. 277–291 [McDonald, I.W. and Warner, A. C. I., editors]. Armidale: University of New England Publishing Unit.Google Scholar
Genstat Statistical Software (1988). Genstat 5. Statistics Dept, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Hertfordshire, UK.Google Scholar
Gill, J. L. (1986). Repeated measurement: Sensitive tests for experiments with few animals. Journal of Animal Science 63, 943–954.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katoh, K., Kajita, Y., Odashima, M., Ohta, M. & Sasaki, Y. (1991). Passage and digestibility of lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay in Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon) and sheep under restricted feeding. British Journal of Nutrition 66, 399405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McMahon, C. D., Corson, J. D., Johnstone, P. D., Stuart, S. K., Veenvliet, B. A. & Suttie, J. M. (1992). Seasonal insulin response to an intravenous challenge in red deer stags. A possible role in the seasonal growth pattern? Proceedings of the Australian Endocrinology Society 35, 164.Google Scholar
Milne, J. A, MacRae, J. C., Spence, A. M. & Wilson, S. (1978). A comparison of the voluntary intake and digestion of a range of forages at difference times of the year by the sheep and the red deer (Cervus elaphus). British Journal of Nutrition 40, 347–357.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nolan, J.V. & Leng, R.A. (1972). Dynamic aspects of ammonia and urea metabolism in sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 27, 117–194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Read, W.W.C., Harrison, R.A. & Halliday, D. (1982). A resin-based method for the preparation of molecular nitrogen for N analysis from urinary and plasma components. Analyrical Biochemistry 123, 249–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robertson, J.B. & Van Soest, P.J. (1980). The detergent system of analysis and its application to human foods. In The Analysis of Dietary Fibre in Foods, pp. 123–158 [James, W. P. T. and Theander, O., editors]. New York: Marcel Dekker.Google Scholar
Sibbald, A. M. & Milne, J. A. (1993). Physical characteristics of the alimentary tract in relation to seasonal changes in voluntary food intake by the red deer. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 120, 99–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snedecor, G.W. & Cochran, W.G. (1980). Statistical Methods, 7th ed. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.Google Scholar
Suttie, J. M., Fennessy, P. F., Corson, I. D., Laas, F. J., Crosbie, S. F., Butler, J. H. & Gluckman, P. D. (1989). Pulsatile growth hormone, insulin-like growth factors and antler development in red deer stags. Journal of Endocrinology 121, 351–360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. (1982). Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant. Corvallis, Oregon, USA: O & B Books.Google Scholar