J. Peterson et Ba. Wunder, FOOD SORTING BY COLLARED LEMMINGS (DICROSTONYX GROENLANDICUS) AND PRAIRIE VOLES (MICROTUS-OCHROGASTER) - A CAUTIONARY NOTE FOR DIGESTIBILITY STUDIES, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Section A: Comparative physiology, 116(2), 1997, pp. 119-124
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Physiology,Biology
Journal title
Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Section A: Comparative physiology
Small herbivores are often confronted with poor quality diets; in resp
onse to this situation, they may sort their food to increase diet qual
ity. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels were measured in three pelle
ted diets fed to collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) and pra
irie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and compared to levels in orts colle
cted from the same diets and animals. Lemmings sorted and discarded th
e fibrous parts of food pellets on all three diets (17.3% to 25.9% hig
her NDF in orts), whereas voles sorted out fibrous particles on only o
ne diet Calculations of NDF digestibility were significantly reduced b
y particle sorting (up to 16.9% decrease in digestibility). In reviewi
ng the literature, we found that in more than half of studies examined
, orts may not have been analyzed for these differences. Researchers m
ust carefully consider such effects, especially when conducting digest
ibility studies with herbivores on pelleted diets. Copyright (C) 1996
Elsevier Science Inc.