Morphological and Physiological Adaptations for Browsing and Grazing

Codron, Daryl; Hofmann, R. R.; Clauß, Marcus

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-25865-8_4

Cited by 34 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 160 publications

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“…The concentrations of volatile fatty acids measured in the caecum of grazers were generally lower than those of browsers in a small dataset (Codron et al, ), but it is not possible to conclude that browsers therefore require larger distal fermentation chambers. The only available comparative dataset on the fill of the caecum and large intestine of ruminants by Clemens and Maloiy (), which was also used by Gordon and Illius () and Codron et al (), draws on average BM collected from the literature and not from the dissected specimens. Given the results of the present study, it appears prudent not to set too much store on putative differences in intestinal dimensions between ruminant feeding types.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Given the composition of the natural diet, with more indigestible lignin in browse and more of the digestible hemicellulose and cellulose in grass (Hummel, Südekum, Streich, & Clauss, ), and given the fact that grazing ruminants typically have larger reticulorumens with longer particle retention times (Codron et al, ), it is difficult to derive predictions about the extent of microbial fermentation expected in the hindgut. The concentrations of volatile fatty acids measured in the caecum of grazers were generally lower than those of browsers in a small dataset (Codron et al, ), but it is not possible to conclude that browsers therefore require larger distal fermentation chambers. The only available comparative dataset on the fill of the caecum and large intestine of ruminants by Clemens and Maloiy (), which was also used by Gordon and Illius () and Codron et al (), draws on average BM collected from the literature and not from the dissected specimens.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The adaptation of ruminant species to different feeding niches along the browse‐grass continuum is one of the more widely known examples of convergence in modern mammal ecology. Initiated by work that linked digestive anatomy (Hofmann, ; Hofmann & Stewart, ) and social behaviour (Jarman, ) to feeding ecology, and by comparative investigations of the cranial and dental apparatus (Janis, ), a substantial number of morphological and physiological measurements have been tested for their association with the natural diet (reviewed by Clauss, Kaiser, & Hummel, ; Codron, Hofmann, & Clauss, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gross intestinal morphometry and allometry in ruminants

McGrosky

Codron

Müller

et al. 2019

Journal of Morphology

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While some descriptions of ruminants' dietary adaptations suggest that the length of the intestinal tract reflects the proportion of grass or browse in the diet, this assumption has been questioned. We collated data on body mass (BM), as well as small intestine, caecum, colon/rectum, large and total intestine length in 68 ruminant species, and, while accounting for the phylogenetic structure of the dataset, evaluated both allometric scaling and the potential influence of diet, digestive physiology or climate proxies on measures of intestine length. Intestinal length generally scaled to BM at an exponent higher than the 0.33 expected due to geometry. Diet or digestive physiology proxies did not have an influence on any intestinal length measures, though some proxies indicating more arid natural habitats were positively correlated with measures of the large intestine. The relative size of a forestomach compartment, the omasum, was negatively correlated with intestine length. The results indicate that intestine length measures provide little indication of feeding type or digestive physiology, but rather indicate adaptations to aridity. Higher-than-geometry scaling of intestinal length may be related to the necessity of maintaining geometric (or metabolic) scaling of intestinal surface area while keeping gut diameter, and hence the diffusion distances, small. The way in which space trade-offs determine the macroanatomy of different organs in the abdominal cavity, such as the omasum and the intestine, deserves further investigation. K E Y W O R D S digestion, feeding type, fluid throughput, omasum, ruminant

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gross intestinal morphometry and allometry in ruminants

McGrosky

Codron

Müller

et al. 2019

Journal of Morphology

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“…Shrubs and grasses are two functionally and ecologically distinct components of terrestrial vegetation [ 165 ], differing in their morphology, chemistry, 2d/3d structure and distribution. The latter has led to morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations of herbivores that feed on these type of resources [ 166 ].…”

Section: Building An Interdisciplinary Approach To Identify Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The latter has led to morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations of herbivores that feed on these type of resources [ 166 ]. For a thorough understanding of these morphological and physiological adaptations, the reader is referred to several elegant reviews [ 21 , 56 , 165 , 166 , 167 ].…”

Section: Building An Interdisciplinary Approach To Identify Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small Ruminant Production Based on Rangelands to Optimize Animal Nutrition and Health: Building an Interdisciplinary Approach to Evaluate Nutraceutical Plants

Torres-Fajardo

González-Pech

Sandoval-Castro

et al. 2020

Animals

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The plant kingdom can influence the productivity and health of herbivores at different levels. However, demonstrating this process in a scientific manner entails substantial endeavors from different disciplines. In the present review, we will describe the features of a native vegetation system traditionally used by small ruminants and use its particularities to build an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate the nutraceutical properties of plants. Initially, we will establish the context of the low deciduous forest (LDF), considering some botanical and nutritional aspects, as well as the presence of plant secondary compounds (PSC) and gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Furthermore, we will focus on coevolutionary aspects that undoubtedly shaped the plants–nutrients–PSC–GIN–herbivore relationship. In addition, the concept of nutraceutical will be discussed to provide clarity and aspects to be considered for their evaluation. Then, ethological, agronomical, nutritional, PSC, parasitological and animal species issues are deepened placing emphasis on methodological approaches. Special focus is given to condensed tannins, as they are the fourth largest group of PSCs and the most studied in livestock sciences. Validation of the nutraceutical properties of plants from native vegetation systems should be seen as a process derived from many scientific disciplines that feed into each other in a cyclic manner.

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Digestion of bamboo compared to grass and lucerne in a small hindgut fermenting herbivore, the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

et al. 2021

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Bamboo is an enigmatic forage, representing a niche food for pandas and bamboo lemurs. Bamboo might not represent a suitable forage for herbivores relying on fermentative digestion, potentially due to its low fermentability. To test this hypothesis, guinea pigs (n = 36) were used as model species and fed ad libitum with one of three forages (bamboo, lucerne, or timothy grass) in a fresh or dried state, with six individuals per group, for 3 weeks. The nutrient composition and in vitro fermentation profile of bamboo displayed low fermentation potential, i.e. high lignin and silica levels together with a gas production (Hohenheim gas test) at 12 h of only 36% of that of lucerne and grass. Although silica levels were more abundant in the leftovers of (almost) all groups, guinea pigs did not select against lignin on bamboo. Dry matter (DM) intake was highest and DM digestibility lowest on the bamboo forage. Total short‐chain fatty acid levels in caecal content were highest for lucerne and lowest for grass and bamboo. Bamboo‐fed guinea pigs had a lower body weight gain than the grass and lucerne group. The forage hydration state did not substantially affect digestion, but dry forage led to a numerically higher total wet gut fill. Although guinea pigs increased DM intake on the bamboo diet, the negative effects on fermentation of lignin and silica in bamboo seemed overriding. For herbivores that did not evolutionary adapt, bamboo as an exclusive food resource can be considered as inadequate.

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Morphological and Physiological Adaptations for Browsing and Grazing

Cited by 34 publications

References 160 publications

Gross intestinal morphometry and allometry in ruminants

Gross intestinal morphometry and allometry in ruminants

Small Ruminant Production Based on Rangelands to Optimize Animal Nutrition and Health: Building an Interdisciplinary Approach to Evaluate Nutraceutical Plants

Digestion of bamboo compared to grass and lucerne in a small hindgut fermenting herbivore, the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

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