Investigations on rumen health of different wild ruminants in relation to feeding management

In this study, the rumen metabolism of four ruminant species – blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), sika deer (Cervus nippon dybowskii) and addax antelope (Addax nasomaculatus) – from the Nuremberg Zoo was investigated in relation to their feeding management. Parameters of microbial fermentation in the rumen as well as rumen tissue samples were examined. Additionally, the offered and refused food was weighed, analysed and a dietary intake calculation for these ruminant species was performed. Three of the four ruminant species – blackbuck, barbary sheep and addax antelope – all grazers, showed severe characteristics of subacute ruminal acidosis due to a diet high in fermentable carbohydrates (NfE � 55% of DM basis) and low in fibre (XF � 18% of DM basis). This was indicated by numerous microabscesses within the rumen mucosa. These results demonstrate that subacute ruminal acidosis is still a severe problem in captive wild ruminants, which are often fed inappropriate diets with a high concentration of easily digestible carbohydrates. Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-79661 Published Version Originally published at: Schilcher, Barbara; Baumgartner, Katrin; Geyer, Hans; Liesegang, Annette (2013). Investigations on rumen health of different wild ruminants in relation to feeding management. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 3(1):28-30. Rumen health of wild ruminants Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 1(1) 2013 28 Research article Investigations on rumen health of different wild ruminants in relation to feeding management Barbara Schilcher, Katrin Baumgartner, Hans Geyer, Annette Liesegang Department of Animal Nutrition, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland Tiergarten Nuremberg, Am Tiergarten 30, D-90480 Nuremberg, Germany Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland *Corresponding author: [email protected]