Estimating diet composition for mountain hares in newly established native woodland: development and application of plant-wax faecal markers

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 1047-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaila J Rao ◽  
Glenn R Iason ◽  
Ian AR Hulbert ◽  
Robert W Mayes ◽  
Paul A Racey
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Sylvestris ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Mountain Hare ◽  
Native Woodland ◽  
Form Part ◽  
Lactating Females ◽  
Browse Species ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Plant Wax

Knowledge of the feeding ecology of mammalian herbivores is fundamental in predicting their responses to habitat change. Where native woodlands are newly established in open moorland, the extent to which trees form part of the diet of mountain hares (Lepus timidus) is unknown. This information is necessary for predicting the potential effects of mountain hare browsing on woodland establishment. The n-alkanes and a long-chain fatty alcohols found in the cuticular wax of diet plants and faeces (N = 240) were used as markers to estimate the composition of the diet of mountain hares in an area of moorland with newly established Pinus sylvestris and Betula pubescens woodland. During winter, the diet of mountain hares was dominated by Calluna vulgaris, but there was a seasonal shift to a diet dominated by grasses, sedges, and rushes in summer. Pinus sylvestris and B. pubescens were minor dietary components in all seasons. A higher proportion of grasses, sedges, and rushes was found in the diet of lactating females. Results suggest that when an alternative browse species such as C. vulgaris is widely available, mountain hares may not have a large impact on the establishment of native woodland. The dietary results from this study are in broad agreement with those from previous studies using other techniques.

Application of n-alkanes as diet composition markers in grazing/browsing goats and sheep: effect of using different faecal recovery corrections and plant species grouping approaches

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Oliván ◽  
L. M. M. Ferreira ◽  
U. García ◽  
R. Celaya ◽  
K. Osoro
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Individual Plant ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Agrostis Capillaris ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Equal Weighting ◽  
Species Grouping

The present study aimed to test the effect of applying different sets of n-alkane faecal recoveries and different plant species grouping approaches on the estimates of the diet selected by goats and sheep when grazing/browsing complex vegetation communities composed of mosaics of heather-gorse vegetation interspersed with patches of perennial ryegrass. The use of different sets of n-alkane faecal recoveries significantly affected the estimated proportions of most vegetation components in both animal species. The diet estimates were also significantly affected by the calculation approach: A1 (using all individual plant species); A2 (grouping plant species with similar n-alkane profile, with equal weighting within the group); and A3 (grouping plant species with similar n-alkane profile, with different weighting according to the botanical composition of the plot). There was a significant interaction between calculation approach (A) and faecal recovery sets (FR) on the resulting estimates of the Ericaceae species in the diet of goats and of all diet components in sheep. When using A1 approach, the estimated proportion of Agrostis capillaris in the diets was high and seemed to be overestimated, compared with its low availability (1.1% of total cover) in the field. However, the application of calculation approaches A2 and A3 gave lower dietary proportions of component D2 (Agrostis capillaris and Ulex gallii) and higher proportions of components D1 (Lolium perenne and Pseudarrhenatherum longifolium), D3 (Erica umbellata, Erica cinerea, Erica australis, Calluna vulgaris) and Erica arborea. These results indicate that the application of the n-alkane technique for estimation of the diet composition in field with complex vegetation conditions is sensitive to the use of faecal recovery corrections and to the grouping of possible dietary components.

Using plant wax markers to estimate diet composition and intakes of mixed forages in sheep by feeding a known amount of alkane-labelled supplement

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Charmley ◽  
H. Dove
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Annual Ryegrass ◽  
Release Rates ◽  
Release Device ◽  
Dietary Component ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Plant Wax ◽  
Supplement Intake

The feeding of known amounts of supplements to grazing animals can be accomplished relatively easily. If the supplement and the other diet components have distinctive profiles of cuticular wax n-alkanes, then the supplement intake and the alkane profiles of the supplement, other dietary components and faeces can be used to estimate the proportions and hence intakes of several forages by the grazing animal. However, this method requires knowledge of recoveries of n-alkanes in faeces. Twenty four wethers were fed one of four diets comprising equal combinations of 1, 2, 3 or 4 forages. Forages used were subterranean clover, phalaris, annual ryegrass and wheat straw. Forages were chopped using a chaff cutter and fed with solvent-extracted cottonseed meal (CSM) labelled with beeswax and synthetic C28 alkane to provide a characteristic alkane profile. Faecal grab samples were taken from sheep from 14 to 23 days after administration of an intra-ruminal controlled-release device (CRD) containing 1 g of each of C32 and C36 alkane. Total faeces were collected from half the sheep on each treatment in order to measure alkane recoveries in individual sheep. Faecal concentrations of the n-alkanes C25 to C31 and C33 were corrected for recovery using the individual sheep value, the treatment mean or the grand mean for all four treatments. Dietary compositions were then estimated from corrected faecal concentrations of n-alkanes using a least-squares procedure and, together with the known supplement intakes, were used to estimate the intakes of all other diet components. Estimates from this ‘labelled supplement’ method were compared with the amounts fed or those estimated using the alkanes derived from the CRD. The labelled supplement method accurately and precisely estimated dietary component proportions and intake for all treatments when measured recoveries for individual sheep were used. Precision declined when recovery was based on estimated recoveries for treatment means or the grand mean. Estimates of intake based on dietary C33 and the measured release rates of C32 or C36 alkanes from the CRD did not differ from measured intakes. Estimates based on the C32 : C31 alkane pair over-estimated intake. Estimates of whole-diet digestibility based on the various ways of estimating intake were all very close to the digestibilities calculated from directly-measured intakes and faecal outputs. It is concluded that the feeding of a known amount of supplement can be successfully used to estimate dietary proportions and hence intakes of diet components, in mixed diets with up to five ingredients, but this approach requires estimates of faecal alkane recovery.

The use of alkanes as markers for estimating diet composition in sheep and goats

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
L.M.M. Ferreira ◽  
M. Oliván ◽  
M.A.M. Rodrigues ◽  
A. Dias-da-Silva ◽  
K. Osoro
Keyword(s):  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dietary Treatment ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
Long Chain ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Plant Components

SummaryAn experiment was carried out to evaluate the use of alkanes for estimating diet composition of goats and sheep offered three different dietary treatments. Twelve animals as two groups of 4 crossbred goats (G1, 24 kg live weight; G2, 22 kg) and 4 crossbred sheep (S, 26 kg live weight), were housed in metabolism pens. Animals were offered daily a total of 1 kg DM/100 kg live weight. G1 received 70% ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and 30% gorse (Ulex gallii), G2 received 70% ryegrass and 30% heather (Erica sp.) and S group ate 100% ryegrass. Diet composition was estimated from the alkane concentrations (using all alkanes from C23 to C36 or only odd-chain alkanes C27, C29, C31 and C33) in diet and faeces (with or without correction for incomplete faecal recoveries) using least-squares procedures.Dietary treatment and animal species significantly affected alkane faecal recoveries, except for C24 and C36. When applying the faecal recovery corrections, there were no significant differences between measured proportions of dietary components and those estimated using all alkanes or odd-chain alkanes. In contrast, the proportions calculated without faecal recovery correction differed significantly (P<0.05) from the actual proportions and over-estimated the amount in the diet of those plant components with higher concentrations of long-chain alkanes (Erica sp. and Lolium perenne). The results indicate that alkanes are useful markers to estimate diet composition, however, it was observed that animal species and diet composition influenced the faecal recovery of alkanes. This suggests that the use of the alkane methodology for estimating the diet selection of grazing animals should be preceded by a calculation of the actual alkane faecal recoveries for each experimental condition.

Benefits of being a generalist carnivore when threatened by climate change: the comparative dietary ecology of two sympatric semelparous marsupials, including a new endangered species (Antechinus arktos)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma L. Gray ◽  
Chris J. Burwell ◽  
Andrew M. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
National Park ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Dietary Ecology ◽  
Late 21St Century ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Selection Of

The endangered black-tailed dusky antechinus (Antechinus arktos) was described in 2014, so most aspects of its ecology are unknown. We examined diet composition and prey selection of A. arktos and a sympatric congener, the northern form of A. stuartii, at two sites in Springbrook National Park. Overall, taxa from 25 invertebrate orders were identified in the diets from 252 scat samples. Dietary components were similar for each species, but A. arktos consumed a higher frequency and volume of dipteran larvae and Diplopoda, while A. stuartii consumed more Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Isopoda. Both species of Antechinus had a higher percentage of ‘empty’ scats (devoid of any identifiable invertebrate material) in 2014 compared with 2015. The former was a drier year overall. Lower rainfall may have reduced abundance and diversity of arthropod prey, causing both species to supplement their diet with soft-bodied prey items such as earthworms, which are rarely detected in scats. Comparison of prey in scats with invertebrate captures from pitfall traps showed both species to be dietary generalists, despite exhibiting distinct preference and avoidance of certain prey categories. The ability of an endangered generalist marsupial to switch prey may be particularly advantageous considering the anticipated effects of climate change on Gondwanan rainforests during the mid-late 21st century.

scholarly journals Plant Wax Alkanes and Alcohols as Herbivore Diet Composition Markers

2004 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel N. Bugalho ◽  
Hugh Dove ◽  
Walter Kelman ◽  
Jeff T. Wood ◽  
Robert W. Mayes
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Plant Wax

Effect of amount consumed and diet composition on the apparent digestibility of feed in cattle and sheep

1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Bines ◽  
W. H. Broster ◽  
J. D. Sutton ◽  
Valerie J. Broster ◽  
D. J. Napper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Average Intake ◽  
Medium Quality ◽  
Young Cattle ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Maintenance Requirements ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Linear Decline ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

SummaryDigestibility trials were conducted at two stages of lactation with each of 107 Friesian cows using three diets (60:40, 75:25, 90:10 proportions of compound feed to medium quality hay fed long). Each cow received throughout lactation fixed daily allowances of one of these diets at either 2·26 or 2·63 times average maintenance requirements (MM), or was fed ad libitum, average intake equalling 3·07 MM. The digestibilities of the diets were also measured on immature cattle at 0·76 and 1·33 MM and sheep at 0·65 and 1·27 MM.For all classes of stock the digestibility of dry matter increased linearly and that of fibre decreased curvilinearly with increasing proportion of compound in the diet. There was no interaction of effects of diet composition and amount consumed on digestibility of feed. The digestibility of both dietary components declined for the young cattle and sheep with increased intake. The digestibilities for lactating cows were lower than for other stock but did not change with amount consumed or milk yield. Digestibility was slightly higher for first and second calf cows than for adult cows; and was higher for organic matter in mid lactation compared with early lactation for adult cows.These results for dairy cows conflict with the generally accepted interpretation that a linear decline in digestibility occurs from once to five times maintenance intake, embracing all classes of stock.

scholarly journals Using plant wax markers to estimate the diet composition of grazing Holstein dairy cows

2017 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 1019-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Heublein ◽  
K.-H. Südekum ◽  
F.L. Gill ◽  
F. Dohme-Meier ◽  
F. Schori
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Plant Wax ◽  
Holstein Dairy Cows

Light-mediated influence of three understorey species (Calluna vulgaris, Pteridium aquilinum, Molinia caerulea) on the growth of Pinus sylvestris seedlings

2010 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noémie Gaudio ◽  
Philippe Balandier ◽  
Gwenaël Philippe ◽  
Yann Dumas ◽  
Frédéric Jean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Sylvestris ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Pteridium Aquilinum ◽  
Molinia Caerulea

Combination of long-chain alcohols and fatty acids with alkanes as faecal markers to estimate feed intake and digestibility in horses and cattle fed on grass-heathland vegetation communities

2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos López López ◽  
Rafael Celaya ◽  
Ana Sofia Santos ◽  
Miguel A.M. Rodrigues ◽  
Koldo Osoro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Long Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Heathland Vegetation ◽  
Internal Markers ◽  
Long Chain

Application of long-chain alcohols (LCOH) and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) combined with alkanes as faecal markers to estimate dry matter intake (DMI) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) of equines and cattle was assessed. Six crossbred mares, randomly divided in two groups (H1 and H2), and three nonlactating cows (C) were housed in individual stalls. Groups H1 and C were fed on a diet of ryegrass (Lolium perenne, 0.7) and heather (Erica spp., Calluna vulgaris, 0.3), and H2 received ryegrass (0.4), heather (0.3) and gorse (Ulex gallii, 0.3). Digestibility was estimated using LCOH (C28-OH and C30-OH) and LCFA (C28-FA, C30-FA, and C32-FA) as internal markers. For DMI estimation, animals received daily a paper pellet containing C24, C32, and C36n-alkanes. Intake was estimated from the faecal ratio of naturally occurring LCOH, LCFA, and dosed n-alkanes, and was compared with the known DMI values. In horses, all markers provided accurate estimates of DMD. Similarly, LCOH provided accurate estimates of DMD in cattle, whereas LCFA underestimated it (P < 0.05). Intake estimates were affected (P < 0.05) by the marker pair used in calculations. In general, the C24:C24-FA pair provided the most accurate DMI estimates. Results suggest the usefulness of combining epicuticular compounds as faecal markers to estimate DMI, DMD and diet composition of horses and cattle grazing grass-heathland communities, simultaneously.

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