Intake, digestibility, and passage of a commercially designed diet by two Propithecus species.
Abstract
The digestibility and passage of an experimental diet was used to compare the digestive
physiology of two Propithecus species: P. verreauxi and P. tattersalli. Though both
animals have a similar feeding ecology, the captive status of P. verreauxi is considered
more stable than that of P. tattersalli. The test diet included a local tree species,
Rhus copallina, at 15% of dry matter intake (DMI) and Mazuri Leafeater Primate Diet
at 85% of DMI. The chemical composition of the diet (dry matter basis) was 25% crude
protein, 34% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 22% acid detergent fiber (ADF) with
a gross energy of 4.52 kcal/g. After a 6 week acclimation to the experimental diet,
animals were placed in research caging. After a 7 day adjustment period, animals were
dosed with chromium mordant and Co-EDTA as markers for digesta passage and all feed
refusals and feces were collected at timed intervals for 7 days. Digestibility values,
similar for both species, were approximately 65% for dry matter, crude protein, and
energy, and 40% and 35% respectively, for NDF and ADF. Transit times (17-18.5 hr)
and mean retention times (31-34 hr) were not significantly different between species,
and there was no difference between the chromium mordant and Co-EDTA. Serum values
for glucose, urea, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were obtained during four
different time periods to monitor nutritional status. While there was no change in
serum glucose, serum urea increased over time. The NEFAs increased across all four
time periods for P. verreauxi and increased for the first three periods then decreased
in the last period for P. tattersalli. Results obtained indicate no difference in
digestibility nor digesta passage between species, and that both Propithecus species
were similar to other post-gastric folivores.
Type
Journal articleSubject
Animal FeedAnimals
Blood Glucose
Digestion
Energy Intake
Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
Female
Male
Plant Leaves
Species Specificity
Strepsirhini
Urea
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6415Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1002/(SICI)1098-2345(1999)48:3<237Publication Info
Campbell, JL; Eisemann, JH; Glander, KE; & Crissey, SD (1999). Intake, digestibility, and passage of a commercially designed diet by two Propithecus
species. Am J Primatol, 48(3). pp. 237-246. 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2345(1999)48:3<237. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6415.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Kenneth Earl Glander
Professor Emeritus of Evolutionary Anthropology
Primate ecology and social organization: the interaction between feeding patterns
and social structure; evolutionary development of optimal group size and composition;
factors affecting short and long-term demographic changes in stable groups; primate
use of regenerating forests.

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