Herbivores

Question 1

What is a herbivore? What are the 2 types?

Answer 1

An animal that derives all its nutrients form plant material
Browsers & Grazers

Question 2

What are the classification of herbivores?

Answer 2

All ungulates:

• Perissodactyl = odd toed & weight bearing on 3 toes (rhinos, tapirs, equids)
• Artiodactyl = even tped & weight bearing on 3 and 4 toes (cattle, antelope, deer)

Question 3

What are the parts of the hoof?

Answer 3

Unguis - like our fingernails, hard and sturdy

Subunguis - Like skin under our fingernails, soft

Question 4

What running style do hooves negate?

Answer 4

Cursorial - increased length of stride to escape predators

Question 5

What are the main differences between browsers and grazers?

Answer 5

Browse - high amount of secondary plant compounds, rumen passase of browsers is faster, have less fibre digestion and more nutrients reach small intestine
Particles leaving browser rumen are bigger, observable in the faeces

Question 6

What are some differences between carnivores and herbivores?

Answer 6

Food source
Capturing food source (methods, energy required)
Quality of feed (low vs. high protein)
Digesting food (GI tract differences)

Question 7

What are some examples of:
Browsers
Intermediates
Grazers

Answer 7

B - giraffe, dik dik, moose
I - goats
G - sheep, cattle, buffalo

Question 8

Why feed browse?

Answer 8

Part of natural diet, secure food source (available all year round)

Question 9

Why manage browse?

Answer 9

Looks pretty
Good for other animals
Control invading plant species
Reduce land management costs

Question 10

What are the differet methods of health monitoring?

Answer 10

Thermal imaging
Faecal testing 
Blood sampling 
Body conditioning 
TB testing 
Foot care

Question 11

What changes have been made to the administration of anthelmintics

Answer 11

Now twice a year but test first THEN treatment to reduce anthelmintic resistance

Question 12

What does faecal testing involve?

Answer 12

Faecal flotation testing - look for parasites/eggs under microscope
Check against faecal chart

Question 13

What is looked for in blood testing?

Answer 13

Red and white blood cell numbers checked

Blood biochemistry also checked for analysis of organ function

Question 14

What is serology?

Answer 14

Looks for specific type of infectious agent such as Toxoplasmosis parasite in dogs and cats

Question 15

Why body condition score?

Answer 15

Ensure that the animal is the correct weight/size for its stage in the life cycle (i.e lactating mother, pregnant female)

Question 16

Why TB test?

Answer 16

Domestic cattle are susceptible to bovine TB, should have regular tests to prevent spread of infection even though zoo species are usually exempt from the regular test legislation

Question 17

How are hooves looked after?

Answer 17

Naturally - wear down on substrate through walking and wear and tear
Or via positive reinforcement and filing
Excess dietal protein can lead to hoof overgrowth

Question 18

How are equids identified?

Answer 18

Equine species from 2009 - microchipped and passport
Applies to zebras too
All have EID identification numbers
Not needed for cattle, goats and sheep have their own ID numbers depending on their use