Studies on drinking water intake of fallow deer, sheep and mouflon under semi‐natural pasture conditions

Abstract

The aim of the investigation was to determine the water requirements of adult fallow deer (Dama dama), Skudde sheep (Ovis ammon) and mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) kept under the same conditions. This study was intended to allow the development of basic principles and recommendations for improving drinking water management in the production of fallow deer, sheep, and mouflon, taking into account the different reproductive statuses of these three species. At a fen, the water intake of the animals was recorded for three consecutive years (2011–2013) during the grazing period (1 May–31 October). The results were based on the regular measurement of the animals’ water intake under pasture management. Three herd repetitions were carried out per species during early and late summer and autumn. Each test group consisted of 10 adult female animals. To enable a comparison of the drinking water consumption among species of different weights, the water intake of each animal was converted into the water intake per kg of metabolic live weight (W0.75). During the early summer fallow deer and sheep consumed a similar amount of water. The mouflon had relatively low water consumption; in the late summer and autumn (September and October), these animals drank only sporadically. All three species consumed more water in the first 3 months of the grazing period than in the last 3 months. Daily water consumption by sheep and deer increased with heat stress caused by higher temperatures and relative humidity, whereas mouflon were relatively immune to such environmental influences. It is recommended that the small ruminant species investigated should be offered a constant supply of drinking water when under pasture management.

Different roughage:concentrate ratios and water supplies to feedlot lambs: carcass characteristics and meat chemical composition

“…Water is important for the processes of digestion and nutrient metabolism, considering that restricted water supply reduces the secretion of digestive juices. The intake of drinking water by ruminants is affected by the DM content of the feed (Fischer et al ., 2017).…”

Impact of Day Length and Total Protein Content in the Diet of Farmed Fallow Deer (Dama Dama) on Their Plasma Mineral Level and Haematological Indices

“…Estimations of protein-and energy-digestibility are problematic to extrapolate to the population level, because of complex interactions between diet and individual, and many of the studies were compiled at the population level. Furthermore, in the case of research into small ruminants, a constant supply of drinking water should be ensured in pasture management (Fischer et al, 2017), which would also be worth to check in moderate climate conditions.…”

Artificial Water Troughs Use by the Mountain Ungulate Ovis gmelini ophion (Cyprus Mouflon) at Pafos Forest

“…As a result, many springs located at the core of the Pafos Forest started drying up in the warmest months, while springs at the periphery did not [ 32 ]. While it is assumed that mouflon direct water consumption is low during most of the year [ 33 ], the species has been found to stay in the vicinity of water sites during hot and dry periods [ 34 , 35 ]. In cold and wet periods, green, succulent forage, the combination of lower temperatures, dew formation and precipitation may result in mouflon not requiring additional fresh water intake [ 36 ].…”