Failure of cellulolysis in the rumen of reindeer fed timothy silage

Olsen, M. A.; Aagnes, Tove H.; Mathiesen, Svein D.

doi:10.7557/2.15.2.1170

Cited by 10 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Various qualities of grass silage and hay have been tested as supplementary food to prevent losses of animals due to starvation in periods in winter when the availability of pasture plants is poor [12–15]. Timothy ( Phleum pratense ) silage has a high acceptability to reindeer, but reindeer have strict limitations in utilising rough grass silage containing more than 70% stem and as much as 58% CWC [14, 15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Timothy ( Phleum pratense ) silage has a high acceptability to reindeer, but reindeer have strict limitations in utilising rough grass silage containing more than 70% stem and as much as 58% CWC [14, 15]. Even when fed timothy silage with only 24% stem in winter the rumen fluid microbiota of one animal showed a reduced ability to ferment cellulose in vitro, high rumen fluid pH and low VFA concentrations associated with a large rumen [13]. It was argued that this could be due to the physiological state of the rumen in winter, being influenced by factors like starvation and the unusual chemical nature of lichen in the winter diet [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of timothy silage on the bacterial population in rumen fluid of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from natural summer and winter pasture

Olsen

Aagnes

Mathiesen

2006

FEMS Microbiology Ecology

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The seasonal effect of first cut (FC) and regrowth (RG) timothy (Phleum pratense) silage on the rumen fluid bacterial population and the ability of this microbial ecosystem to digest cellulose was compared to that of reindeer from natural pasture (NP). FC with 27% leaves contained 30.4% dry matter (DM) cellulose and 6.2% DM water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), while RG with 89% leaves contained 18.4% DM cellulose and 30.0% DM WSC. The number of culturable anaerobic bacteria per ml rumen fluid on a habitat simulating medium (M8V) ranged between 1.1×108 and 95.0×108 in the reindeer (n=18) investigated, and no significant (P>0.05) differences were found between animals from NP and animals from the experimental groups in summer or winter. Carboxymethyl cellulose hydrolysing bacterial strains (n=138) isolated from the rumen fluid of the animals (n=18) using an acid‐swollen cellulose medium were characterised as Butyrivibrio spp. (69.6%), Eubacterium spp. (1.4%), Clostridium sp. (0.7%) and unknowns (28.3%). Cellulolytic strains of B. fibrisolvens were isolated from only one of the calves, which had been fed RG in summer. The rumen bacterial composition in reindeer on NP resembled that of the experimental groups. In vitro digestibility trials demonstrates that the ability of the rumen microbiota to digest cellulose is generally reduced in reindeer fed silage in summer compared to winter. Ruminal malfunction occurred in some of the animals, but no correlation between the composition of the bacterial population in the fluid fraction of the rumen and the ability of this microbiota to ferment cellulose was found.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of timothy silage on the bacterial population in rumen fluid of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from natural summer and winter pasture

Olsen

Aagnes

Mathiesen

2006

FEMS Microbiology Ecology

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“…Several studies of the suitability of grass silage as feed for reindeer have been conducted (e.g. Syrjala-Qvist, 1982;Olsen et al, 1995). The results have indicated high palatability of examined silages, but low digestibility and low tuminal volatile fatty acid (VFA) production leading to inadequate nutrition of animals.…”

Section: Rangiser 18 (2) 1998mentioning

confidence: 99%

Feed intake, gastrointestinal system and body composition in reindeer calves fed early harvested first cut timothy silage (Phleum pratense)

Norberg¹,

Mathiesen²

1998

Ran

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Early harvested first cut (EFC) timothy silage was fed to five reindeer calves (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) taken from their natural summer pasture and brought to Tromsø for feeding trial. The calves were housed indoors in metabolism cages and fed EFC timothy silage ad lib. during the trial, which lasted from late November 1994 until the end of February 1995, when animals subsequently were slaughtered. Daily feed intake, gastrointestinal (GI) anatomy, body weight and body composition of the animals were examined. Timothy silage {Phleum praténse) was harvested 21 June, 1994 in Tromsø, prewilted and stored as round bales containing 97% leaves. The EFC silage contained 42.1% dry matter (DM), and 18.1% crude protein, 20.7% cellulose, 16.9% hemicellulose and 28.0% water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) of DM. Mean feed intake (DM) 24 hours after the trial started (day 1) was 9-4 g/kg body mass (BM) (S.D.+ 3-9), while the mean daily DM intake during days 15-74 comprised 24.2 g/kg BM (S.D.+ 6.1). All animals except one gained body weight during the trial. The median (range) BM at start and at slaughter was 48.5 kg (34.5¬ 58.0 kg) and 50.0 kg (42.0-53.5 kg), respectively. Median (range) carcass weight % of BM was 58.0% (51.2-58.7%) and muscle index value 0.0132 (0.0106-0.0176). The median reticulo-rumen (RR) content wet weight (WW) was 4601 g (range 2697-5000 g) comprising 9.3% of the BM, and 85.1% of the total gastrointestinal wet weight content. The median (range) gastrointestinal tract weight was 14.1% of BM (10.7-16.4%). Based on feed intake during the trial and body composition at slaughtet we conclude that first cut timothy silage is suitable as emergency feed to reindeer, as long as it is harvested in early growth stage with high proportion of leaves.

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“…Nilsson et al, 1996) or rumen metabolism (e.g. Olsen et al, 1995) has been studied in several experiments. However, most registrations require handling and often restraint of the animals that may be stressful and influence the results (Sire et al, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behaviour of reindeer as an indicator of an adaptation to feeding

Nilsson

Norberg²,

Redbo

et al. 2004

Ran

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Abstract:We assessed behaviour of reindeer affected by nutritional deprivation and how they adapted to various feeding strategies. The activity pattern of 61 penned eight month old female reindeer calves was observed during 20 of a total of 42 experimental days in winter 1997. The dominant activities were lying, ruminating, intake of feed and water, and standing. Few recordings of agonistic behaviour or snow intake occured. Restricted feed intake, half the ad lib. ration of a lichen-based diet, affected the eating behaviour of the reindeer, and more animals were standing and fewer lying compared to reindeer fed ad lib. Lack of energy in the diet correlated with animals lying curled up (lying with the muzzle close to the hind legs). This behaviour could be a useful complement to other measurements and registrations when studying adaptations to various feeding regimens.

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Failure of cellulolysis in the rumen of reindeer fed timothy silage

Cited by 10 publications

References 12 publications

The effect of timothy silage on the bacterial population in rumen fluid of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from natural summer and winter pasture

The effect of timothy silage on the bacterial population in rumen fluid of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from natural summer and winter pasture

Feed intake, gastrointestinal system and body composition in reindeer calves fed early harvested first cut timothy silage (Phleum pratense)

Behaviour of reindeer as an indicator of an adaptation to feeding

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