Lecture 18- Exotic animal nutrition Flashcards

Question

What are the skeletal adaptations of hunters?

Answer 1

* Fused wrist bones = absorbs shock of running. * Short collarbone for increased mobility and longer stride. • Flexible spine. * Felids have retractile claws.

Answer 2

* High protein requirement. * Specific requirement for 2 amino acids: • Arginine * Taurine * Arachidonic Acid * Preformed Vitamin A * Preformed Vitamin D * Inability to convert tryptophan to niacin * Anatomical differences from other carnivores • Fewer teeth = no molars * Shorter gastrointestinal tract * Insignificant cecum * Lower ability to digest plant carbohydrates

Answer 3

* General requirements of 140 kcal kg0.75 * 123 kg female requires 5170 kcal/day (~3.1 kg commercial diet) • 160 kg male requires 6300 kcal/day * Appetites improve if the animals are fasted 1-2 days per week * Bones fed for teeth health and enrichment * Diets mixed on site need to be kept clean * Preparation spaces important (need to be free of pests, chemicals & microorganisms) • Labour intensive * How much does a wild tiger eat? • Varies but about 10-12 kg per day * Wild animals will gorge themselves

Answer 4

-Amounts Fed Based on Energy Density of Diet and Animal Weight • Feline requirement = 50-70 kcal * body weight (kg). • Example = African Lion • Current weight = 275.5 kg • 70 kcal * 275.5 kg = 19,285 kcal/day • 19,285 (kcal) / 3,384.6 (kcal/kg) • 5.69 kg per day.

Answer 5

• Oral disease = excessive dental plaque and calculus formation. • May lead to complications such as compromised renal function, liver abscesses. • Renal Disease. • Food storage, handling and preparation considerations. All meat is inspected.

Answer 6

* Wild canids are VERY similar to domestic canids. • Energy requirements = * 90-145 kcal * Metabolic Body Weight0.75

Answer 7

* High polyunsaturated fatty acid content results in high lipid peroxidation and loss of Vitamin E. * Thiaminase has higher activity in frozen fish. * Result of feeding frozen fish = low in Vitamin E and Thiamin. • Fish are dosed with supplement prior to hand feeding.

Answer 8

* Opportunistic generalistic herbivores • Water required * Drinking and for play * Spend ~60% of the day foraging * Important for enrichment * Large home range (5-6kms for reproductive females) • Eat 1-25 foods per day * Preference for fruits * Vegetative parts of many plants can be toxic in large quantities • Neighbouring females will share trees & food resources * Will eat insects (

Answer 9

* Primarily eat fruit * Also flowers, seeds, leaves and insects (1-5% of diet) • Will stalk and kill other monkeys and small animals * Monkey ‘biscuits’ can be fed * But should be accompanied by fresh fruits etc. * Foraging accounts for >50% daily activity • Important for welfare and enrichment * Should be fed multiple times per day * Excessive indoor housing can cause vitamin D deficiencies * Fruits should be fed whole * Skins house important nutrients

Answer 10

* Require bamboo daily • At least 200g * Important fibre source * Excess fruit & veg can be dangerous • Not nutritionally important * They do like them (sweet!)

Answer 11

* Consume a large number of diverse plants * Nutritional imbalances are believed to be responsible for many health issues in captivity * Domestic horse is a good model for rhino nutrition to be based from • NRCforhorsesisused * Grazing rhinos (white) need grass * Browsing rhinos (black & Sumatran) need mixed legume hay and hays etc. * Concentrates are fed to balance energy, protein & mineral requirements etc. • Pellet size needs to fit type (smaller pellets tolerated by browsing rhinos) * DMI of 1-1.6% of bodymass per day * Wean at about 6 months • Weaningisslow

Answer 12

* Medium sized mammal • 4-9kg * Foliovore - browse feeders * Leaves are primary food source * Also eat insects, lizards & carrion • 1200 – 6500 m2 home range * Large slow acting stomachs * Bacterial fermentation * Digestion can take >1 month! (11-30 days) * 2/3 of body weight can be stomach & its contents * Low BMR * Less than 1⁄2 predicted based on body size * Low core temperature (30-34°C) * Spend about 70% of their day resting or sleeping * Stomach, spleen & liver in different locations to other mammals • Due to upside down lifestyle * Four-chambered ‘rumen style’ stomach * Low water requirement * Can concentrate urine well * Will drink more in captivity compared to the wild

Answer 13

• Sloth fur is unique: • Outer hairs grow in opposite direction to other mammals (away from extremities) to protect from elements • In moist conditions a symbiotic cyanobacteria lives in fur to provide camouflage • Outer fur is thick & brown but can appear green due to the bacteria that the sloth can lick to obtain nutrients from the bacteria • Slow movement provides camouflage • Sloths will only move when necessary and move slowly • They have 1⁄2 as much muscle tissue as other mammals of comparable size • Spend most of their time hanging upsidedown from branches