Determining Diet

Determining Diet

Spring Autumn

Se Co MoTanzania Lick 2.3 0.3 2.9 Topsoil 1.7 23 5.1

Peru Lick 0.5 13 0.7 Topsoil 0.2 13 0.7

Mills et al J Zool 2007.

Micronutrients

Natural Salt Licks

CarnivoresDietary Challenge?

HerbivoresDietary Challenge?

Conifer needles

Other plant

berries

0102030405060708090

100

Ja

n

Ma

r

Ma

y

Ju

l

Se

p

No

v

cacti

Beans/seeds

Grass,tubers

Foregut fermentersRuminants

Hindgut fermenters

Cervidae Bovidae

Forbs

Browse

Grasses

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

10 0

Spring Summer F all W inter

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

10 0

Spring Summer F all W inter

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

10 0

Spring Summer F all W inter

Antilocapra americana Grass

Browse (shrub)

ForbAvailability

Diet

Preference

Measuring nitrogen

In food

In feces

Big

horn

ew

e m

ass

gain

Fecal Nitrogen

Cha

nge

in G

rous

e D

ensi

ty

Nitrogen (% dry matter)

Nitrogen in urine?

Urea:CreatinineRatio

Protein in diet

When is excess urea produced?

02468

101214161820

M 1 inner M 1 terminal M 2 inner

Ca o

xalate C

on

centratio

nPreference

Javelina Example ofDietary Trade offs–

Pro

tein

co

nce

ntr

atio

n

8% proteindiet

16% proteindiet

Assessing Condition

Body condition –Ungulate rumps

Kidney fat

Bone marrow fat

Furcula“wishbone”

fat

Fat deposition can begin during summer in bucks but may be delayed 2 to 3 months in does because of the extreme energy demands placed on does by lactationThe most appropriate application of fat indices is interpreting area differences within the same season and year or yearly differences within the same area and season

KFI = Fat/Kidney X 100

Measuring Stress - Adrenals and Stress Hormones

Free Ranging Captive

Adrenal glands

Fec

al c

ortic

oids

Terio et al. 2004