Estimating Dryweights of Foodplants in Feces of Herbivores

Free, James C.; Hansen, Richard M.; Sims, Phillip L.

doi:10.2307/3896227

Cited by 33 publications

(24 citation statements)

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“…Accurate determination and quantification of diet by faecal analysis is probematical (Hercus 1960, Storr 1961, Stewart 1967, Free et al 1970, Slater & Jones 1971, Dunnet et al 1973. Various reasons for this have been advanced, notably difficulty in identifying all the species and the uncertainty of detecting all the leaf cuticle present.…”

Section: Fig 7 (Includes 2 Following Pages) Monthly Distribution Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A technique involving microscopy was used by Free et al (1970) to estimate the dry weight of food plants in oesophageal samples from steers and in their faeces, and in faecal samples from sheep fed oesophageal samples from the steers. These authors concluded that when perennial species form more than 5% of the diet they can be identified and quantified from faecal samples, but that epidermal tissue from herbs is not so easily found.…”

Section: Fig 7 (Includes 2 Following Pages) Monthly Distribution Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diet of the opossumTrichosuvus vulpecula(Kerr) in the Orongorongo Valley, Wellington, New Zealand, in relation to food‐plant availability

Fitzgerald

1976

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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The food preferences of a population of opossums in 4.4 ha of lowland broadleaf/podocarp forest were studied for 4 years by faecal analysis. A survey and phenological records were made of the vegetation to compare foods eaten with foods available. Metrosideros robusta and Weinmannia racemosa contributed 60% to the leaf diet, and were being defoliated and killed by opossums. Metrosideros fulgens and Ripogonum scandens, both lianes, together contributed 15 % to the leaf diet but were eaten seasonally. About 10 other species contributed small amounts. Flowers, flower buds, fruit, seeds, bark, and petiole made up about 35 % of the total diet. Compared with their status in the same area 30 years ago, Fuchsia excorticata, Alectryon excelsus, Pseudopanax arboreum, Myrsine salicina, and Coriaria

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Section: Fig 7 (Includes 2 Following Pages) Monthly Distribution Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fig 7 (Includes 2 Following Pages) Monthly Distribution Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet of the opossumTrichosuvus vulpecula(Kerr) in the Orongorongo Valley, Wellington, New Zealand, in relation to food‐plant availability

Fitzgerald

1976

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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“…As reported by Storr (1961);Free et al (1970);Soder et al (2009); Kilonzo et al (2005), the technique was also Means within each animal species followed by the same letter are not significantly (P>0. 05) different.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…This method examines and depends on the identification of indigestible cutinised fragments of leaves persisting in the faeces (Storr, 1961;Sparks and Malcheck, 1968;Liversidge, 1970;Scotcher, 1979;Holechek and Gross, 1982;Kilonzo et al, 2005;Soder et al, 2009). However, the epidermal tissues of forbs were not as easily found in cattle and sheep faeces (Free et al, 1970). Also during the growing season the faecal analysis method tend to under-estimate the forbs and over-estimate the grasses (Vavra et al, 1978) in the diet when compared to fistula technique.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In winter, however, the two methods were found to be comparable. Most scientists however, agree that differential digestion of plant species has little or no influence on the proportion of identifiable plant fragments (Free et al 1970;Anthony and Smith 1974;Dearden et al, 1975;Alipayo et al, 1992;Kilonzo et al, 2005;Soder et al, 2009). Diet composition data alone are not sufficient to explaining the reason for observed diet differences between animal species, or switching of diet through the seasons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seasonal diet preference of cattle, sheep and goats grazing on the communal grazing rangeland in the Central District of Botswana

Mphinyane¹,

Tacheba²,

Makore³

2015

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

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Diet composition, forage preference and diet overlap among of goats, sheep and cattle grazing on communal rangeland in the Central District of Botswana were evaluated to determine the potential for forage competition to provide better ideas for managing these rangelands. Diets and forage preference were determined through microhistological faecal analysis. Animal faeces and reference plant material of the study area were collected, ground to fine particles and prepared into slides of which histological features of each animal species were studied under the microscope. Features on the faecal sample slides were matched with those in the reference plant material. Estimates of forage biomass and quality were estimated along transects and species composition was determined using a wheel-point apparatus. Season was a major factor affecting herbage biomass and quality. Forage quality decreased from wet to dry season with greater decreases in grass than browse. The content of nitrogen was higher in browse than in herbage in both seasons, and the seasonal decline in browse was less than in herbage. Cattle and sheep diets constituted mostly grasses, but cattle do browse as well during the dry periods. Goats selectively concentrate on browse all the year-long and were more diverse in their diet composition than either cattle or sheep, giving the former better chances of standing harsh conditions. Preferred plant species were not the necessarily the most common on the range. Therefore, monitoring productivity and use of key forage species, particularly of grasses, should complement management objectives.Diets overlaps were generally high during dry seasons, reflected seasonal influence as animals shift diets focus, when the potentials of forage selections are restricted to limited species diversity and availability. The results suggest potential for forage competition between cattle and sheep is highest during dry seasons for grasses.

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Evaluation of Maternal Penning to Improve Calf Survival in the Chisana Caribou Herd

Adams

Farnell

Oakley

et al. 2019

Wildlife Monographs

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Predation is a major limiting factor for most small sedentary caribou (Rangifer tarandus) populations, particularly those that are threatened or endangered across the southern extent of the species' range. Thus, reducing predation impacts is often a management goal for improving the status of small caribou populations, and lethal predator removal is the primary approach that has been applied. Given that predator control programs are often contentious, other management options that can garner broader public acceptance need to be considered.Substantial calf losses to predation in the few weeks following birth are common for these small caribou populations. Therefore, we employed a novel experimental approach of maternal penning with the goal of reducing early calf mortality in the Chisana Caribou Herd, a declining population in southwest Yukon and adjacent Alaska thought to number around 300 individuals. Maternal penning entailed temporarily holding pregnant females on their native range in a large pen secure from predators from late March through the initial weeks of calf rearing to mid-June. During 2003-2006, we conducted 4 annual penning trials with 17-50 pregnant females each year (n = 146 total), assessed survival of calves born in the pens, and evaluated survival and nutritional effects of penning for females that were held. We also investigated the herd's population dynamics during 2003-2008 to determine effects of maternal penning on calf recruitment and population growth. In addition to information gained during maternal penning, we determined natality and survival patterns via radiotelemetry, conducted autumn age-sex composition surveys each year, and censused the population in mid- October 2003October , 2005October , and 2007. Based on our penning trials and demographic investigations, we used simulation models to evaluate the effects of maternal penning relative to a population's inherent growth rate (finite rate of increase [λ] without maternal penning) and penning effort (proportion of calves born in penning) to provide perspective on utility of this approach for improving the status of small imperiled caribou populations.Pregnant females held in maternal penning tolerated captivity well in that they exhibited positive nutritional responses to ad libitum feed we provided and higher survival than free-ranging females (0.993 and 0.951 for penned and free-ranging females, respectively). Survival of pen calves from birth to mid-June was substantially higher than that of free-ranging calves (x = 0.950 and 0.376, respectively). This initial period accounted for 76% of the annual calf mortality in the free-ranging population. Pen-born calves maintained their survival advantage over wild-born calves to the end of their first year (x = 0.575 and 0.192, respectively) during years penning occurred.Females in the Chisana Herd were highly productive with 57% producing their first offspring at 2 years of age, and annual natality rates averaging 0.842 calves/female ≥2 years old. Age-specific natality rates exceed...

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Estimating Dryweights of Foodplants in Feces of Herbivores

Cited by 33 publications

References 2 publications

Diet of the opossumTrichosuvus vulpecula(Kerr) in the Orongorongo Valley, Wellington, New Zealand, in relation to food‐plant availability

Diet of the opossumTrichosuvus vulpecula(Kerr) in the Orongorongo Valley, Wellington, New Zealand, in relation to food‐plant availability

Seasonal diet preference of cattle, sheep and goats grazing on the communal grazing rangeland in the Central District of Botswana

Evaluation of Maternal Penning to Improve Calf Survival in the Chisana Caribou Herd

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