Herbivores Flashcards
What is a herbivore? What are the 2 types?
An animal that derives all its nutrients form plant material
Browsers & Grazers
What are the classification of herbivores?
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)
What are the parts of the hoof?
Unguis - like our fingernails, hard and sturdy
Subunguis - Like skin under our fingernails, soft
What running style do hooves negate?
Cursorial - increased length of stride to escape predators
What are the main differences between browsers and grazers?
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
What are some differences between carnivores and herbivores?
Food source
Capturing food source (methods, energy required)
Quality of feed (low vs. high protein)
Digesting food (GI tract differences)
What are some examples of:
Browsers
Intermediates
Grazers
B - giraffe, dik dik, moose
I - goats
G - sheep, cattle, buffalo
Why feed browse?
Part of natural diet, secure food source (available all year round)
Why manage browse?
Looks pretty
Good for other animals
Control invading plant species
Reduce land management costs
What are the differet methods of health monitoring?
Thermal imaging Faecal testing Blood sampling Body conditioning TB testing Foot care
What changes have been made to the administration of anthelmintics
Now twice a year but test first THEN treatment to reduce anthelmintic resistance
What does faecal testing involve?
Faecal flotation testing - look for parasites/eggs under microscope
Check against faecal chart
What is looked for in blood testing?
Red and white blood cell numbers checked
Blood biochemistry also checked for analysis of organ function
What is serology?
Looks for specific type of infectious agent such as Toxoplasmosis parasite in dogs and cats
Why body condition score?
Ensure that the animal is the correct weight/size for its stage in the life cycle (i.e lactating mother, pregnant female)
Why TB test?
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
How are hooves looked after?
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
How are equids identified?
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
