FOOD-INTAKE, NUTRIENT UTILIZATION AND WATER TURNOVER IN THE LESSER MOUSE-DEER (TRAGULUS-JAVANICUS) GIVEN LUNDAI (SAPIUM-BACCATUM)

Voluntary food intake, digestibility and water turnover were determine d in adult Malaysian lesser mouse-deer (Tragulus javanicus) given unli mited access to lundai foliage (Sapium baccatum). Daily dry matter (DM ) intake was 42.4 g/kg metabolic live mass (M(0.73)) or 3.7% M. Digest ible energy intake was 853 kJ/day (571 kJ metabolisable energy per M(0 .73)), calculated to be used with 79% efficiency. Apparent digestibili ty (%) of organic matter was 83.8, crude fibre 63.7, acid detergent fi bre 60.5, neutral detergent fibre 72.1 and crude protein 65.0. Urinary excretion of the purine derivative, allantoin, was 0.05 mg/g digestib le DM intake suggesting rumen microbial yield efficiency may be lower than in other ruminant species. Total water intake was 182 ml/M(0.82). The body-water content of the fed mouse-deer, from tritiated water di lution, was 77% M, consistent with a very lean carcass. Turnover of bo dy water was 17% per day. The mouse-deer produced relatively dry, well -defined faecal pellets.