The apparent digestibility of crude protein by non-ruminants and ruminants

Glover, Jen; Duthie, D. W.

doi:10.1017/s0021859600035097

Cited by 20 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…As a result, by the end of the dry season, a random sample of animals of all ages and sexes showed that their diet contained only 2.18% crude protein. French, Glover & Duthie (1957) and Glover & Duthie (1958) have shown that the digestibility of crude protein is remarkably similar for ruminants in general and even for non-ruminants. Furthermore, from digestibility trials, P. Arman (personal communication) found that buffalo were very similar to cattle.…”

Section: The Qualit! Of Food In the Serengetimentioning

confidence: 99%

The natural regulation of buffalo populations in East Africa: The food supply as a regulating factor, and competition*

Sinclair

1974

African Journal of Ecology

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Summary Evidence is presented to show that both the quality and quantity of food available to a buffalo population falls below the minimum maintenance requirements of that population at certain times of the year. In the Serengeti grasslands there was a shortage of the only good quality component, grass leaf, in the dry season, with the result that the animals consumed an increasing proportion of poor quality food such as grass stem. By the end of the dry season the diet had dropped in quality below the minimum maintenance level. In areas such as Mt. Meru where there was a more continuous growing season, the high density of animals kept the standing crop of leaf at a low level. During the cooler dry season the growth of leaf became insufficient in quantity for the maintenance requirements of the population. These two quite different situations suggested that food shortage was a more general phenomenon in eastern Africa. Various measurements of feeding behaviour were made. Total grazing time per 24 h did not differ between seasons but ruminating time may have increased as the season became drier and could have been a response to the more fibrous food. Analysis for cycles of activity showed that there was more temporal organization during the dry season. These changes in activity cycles appeared to be related to the increase in energy expenditure produced by heat stress and sweating. Old animals with poor teeth did not compensate for the poor food supply by changing their feeding behaviour. There was a positive relationship between annual rainfall and mean crude density in different areas of eastern Africa, indicating that regulation was taking place. Since rainfall determined the amount of available food, it could have operated through the food supply. On a finer scale it was found that the extent of the preferred riverine habitats was also related to density. Thus rainfall, the extent of riverine habitat and perhaps soil moisture were three limiting factors that determined mean density and all could have taken effect through the food supply. As a result of initial selective grazing the amount of available leaf declined as the dry season progressed to the extent that by the end of the season the proportion of this component in the diet fell to a very low level. The impact of the population on its limited food supply indicated that intra‐specific competition was acting as the cause of regulation. Measurements of wildebeest eating the same food in the same habitats as buffalo showed that inter‐specific competition was also taking place. A small proportion (7“) of the wildebeest population could have reduced the buffalo population by approximately 18o,‘, from its potential population size. The buffalo population in the Serengeti was regulated by adult mortality which was caused by undernutrition as a result of food shortage. This food shortage was caused by intra‐ and inter‐specific competition. The effect of predation and disease was to hasten the response of the population to changes in the food supply. The limiting...

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Section: The Qualit! Of Food In the Serengetimentioning

confidence: 99%

The natural regulation of buffalo populations in East Africa: The food supply as a regulating factor, and competition*

Sinclair

1974

African Journal of Ecology

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“…Highly significant differences (P < .01) were noted in the ADC for DM, N, and E indicating that as the Solka Floe portion of the diet increased, the animals became less efficient in utilizing their feed. An inverse relationship between level of fiber in the diet and the ADC of organic nutrients has been reported by several workers (Teague and Hanson, 195^;Lloyd and Crampton, 1955;Whiting and Bezeau, 1957a;Glover and Duthie, 1958;Likuski, Bowland and Berg, 1961 ;Pond, Lowrey and Maner, 1962;Boenker e;t a2., 19^9;Bowland e^ aJ., 1970;Keys, Van Soest and Young, 1970).…”

Section: Amentioning

confidence: 69%

Evaluation of the energy value of feed ingredients for young swine

Goey

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“…Using this information the rumen contents of buffalo were divided into the two components leaf+leaf sheath (I), and stem (s) and the ratio of their residence times R/Ts was taken to be 1/1.3. The justification for extrapolating from cattle to buffalo comes from Glover & Duthie (1958) who showed that the process of digestion in different species of ruminants was very similar.…”

Section: (K:)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Food selection and competition in the East African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman)

Sinclair

Gwynne²

1972

African Journal of Ecology

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Summary Rumen samples collected at different times of the year from buffalo in the Serengeti, were analysed with respect to proportions of plant parts present. Buffalo were almost exclusive grazers and were capable of selecting for grass leaf. At certain times of year it was the dominant food intake component but declined to only 11% of the diet by the end of the dry season. The amount of leaf in the diet was determined by the amount of rainfall which governed the growth of the food grasses. Experimental preference tests with tame animals indicated that they were capable of selecting for different grass species. The preferences were, however, for those species with a higher leaf: stem ratio. The mechanism of selection is discussed. The function of the behavioural selection appeared to be concerned with maximizing the nutrient quality of the food requirements. It appeared that ecological separation had evolved through interspecific competition.

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The apparent digestibility of crude protein by non-ruminants and ruminants

Cited by 20 publications

References 7 publications

The natural regulation of buffalo populations in East Africa: The food supply as a regulating factor, and competition*

The natural regulation of buffalo populations in East Africa: The food supply as a regulating factor, and competition*

Evaluation of the energy value of feed ingredients for young swine

Food selection and competition in the East African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman)

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