Ma. Rumble et Sh. Anderson, EVALUATING THE MICROSCOPIC FECAL TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING HARD MAST IN TURKEY DIETS, Research paper RM, (RM-310), 1993, pp. 210000001-210000004
Wild and domestic dark turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) were fed experime
ntal diets containing acorn (Quercus gambelli), ponderosa pine (Pinus
ponderosa) seed, grasses, forbs, and arthropods. In fecal estimates of
diet composition, acorn and ponderosa pine seed were underestimated a
nd grass was overestimated. Regression of acorn and pine seed in exper
imental diets with microscopic fecal estimates indicated significant n
onlinear relationships. Based on regression analyses, corrected acorn
and pine seed composition in diets did not differ from experimental di
ets. Corrected estimates for grass were slightly overestimated. Correc
ted estimates for forbs and arthropods were slightly underestimated. C
orrected diet estimates had smaller standard errors than microscopic f
ecal estimates.