LIPASE AND AMYLASE ACTIVITY IN THE ALIMEN TARY-TRACT OF CANARIES AND BUDGERIGARS

Offering typical commercial seed mixtures to canaries and budgerigars show a high capacity of amylase (O 20000 U/g in pancreas of budgerigar ) or lipase (O 9300 U/g in pancreas of canaries). Due to changes in fe eding from seeds rich in starch to seeds rich in fat (budgerigars) and contrary from seeds rich in fat to those rich in starch (canaries) th e production of enzymes depended on the available substrates. These re sults emphasized, that a concept of seed mixtures for canaries based o n seeds rich in fat as well as for budgerigars with a high amount of s eeds rich in starch is not necessary. In spite of a short intestinal t ract as well as a quick transit time of ingesta the canaries and budge rigars realize an efficient utilization of usual seeds and seed mixtur es due to their high amylase as well as lipase activity and their mech anism of adaptation to changed rations (rich in fat to rich in starch and reverse order). This enzymatic capacity depends on varied substrat es and allows birds in original biotope, where saisonal changes in spe ctrum of feedstuffs exist an efficient utilization of available feed i ngredients.