Behavioural and physiological adaptation of wild ruminants and their potential for meat production.

Harvesting of wild ruminants occurs to an appreciable extent in several countries, but the potential world production of meat from these animals is greatly in excess of the current yield. Any increase in the utilization of this important source of protein may be obtained by either an increase in the cropping of present animal systems or through the introduction of changes such as those imposed by ranching or farming. T o choose the course of action with the greatest chance of success it is necessary to examine the knowledge available on the nutritional physiology and carcass characteristics of wild ruminants. In such an examination it is important to remember that game animals should be considered as complementary to and not coinpetitive with domestic livestock for two major reasons. Many of them can thrive either in hot arid areas that lack sufficient water and suitable grazing for domestic livestock or in very cold parts of the world where the winter conditions are too adverse for farming or ranching. Secondly, in less marginal regions wild ruminants may be needed to increase the total carrying capacity or to control bush encroachment by eating a part of the vegetation, i.e. shrubs and trees, not normally consumed by domestic livestock. The physiological and behavioural characteristics that enable some ruminants to complement their domestic counterparts are therefore of considerable importance and interest.