NUTRITIONAL EFFECTS AND COSTS OF A TANNIN IN 2 MARSUPIAL ARBOREAL FOLIVORES

1. Nutritional effects of ingested quebracho, a condensed tannin, were examined in two marsupial folivores: Trichosurus vulpecula and Pseudo cheirus peregrinus. These hindgut fermenters normally consume a diet i ncluding tannin-rich leaves. 2. Dry matter digestibility, neutral dete rgent fibre (NDF) digestibility, nitrogen digestibility and nitrogen b alance were not reduced by quebracho. 3. There was no cost in terms of a reduced conversion of digestible to metabolizable energy. Much of t he tannin was recovered in the faeces, indicating that urine was not t he major route of excretion. 4. Results are consistent with previous s tudies on these folivores, but contrast with the effects of quebracho on some eutherians and two macropodids. They support the hypothesis th at capacity to deal with tannins and other allelochemicals should be a ssociated with the level of their normal consumption, and therefore wi th feeding niche.