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Barboza PS, Shively RD, Thompson DP. Robust Responses of Female Caribou to Changes in Food Supply. ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 97:29-52. [PMID: 38717369 DOI: 10.1086/729668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
AbstractUngulates can respond to changes in food supply by altering foraging behavior, digestive function, and metabolism. A multifaceted response to an environmental change is considered robust. Short seasons of plant growth make herbivores sensitive to changes in food supply because maintenance and production must be accomplished in less time with fewer options in a more fragile response. Caribou live at high latitudes where short summers constrain their response to changes in food supply. We measured the ability of female caribou to resist and tolerate changes in the quality and quantity of their food supply during winter and summer. Caribou resisted changes in food abundance and quality by changing food intake and physical activity with changes in daily temperature within each season. Peak food intake rose by 134% from winter pregnancy to summer lactation (98 vs. 229 g kg-0.75 d-1), as digestible requirements to maintain the body increased by 85% for energy (1,164 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) and by 266% for N (0.79 vs. 2.89 g N kg-0.75 d-1). Caribou required a diet with a digestible content of 12 kJ g-1 and 0.8% N in pregnancy, 18 kJ g-1 and 1.9% N in early lactation, and 11 kJ g-1 and 1.2% N in late lactation, which corresponds with the phenology of the wild diet. Female caribou tolerated restriction of ad lib. food intake to 58% of their energy requirement (680 vs. 1,164 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) during winter pregnancy and to 84% of their energy requirement (1,814 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) during summer lactation without a change in stress level, as indicated by fecal corticosterone concentration. Conversely, caribou can respond to increased availability of food with a spare capacity to process digestible energy and N at 123% (2,642 vs. 2,155 kJ kg-0.75 d-1) and 145% (4.20 vs. 2.89 g N kg-0.75 d-1) of those respective requirements during lactation. Robust responses to changes in food supply allow caribou to sustain reproduction, which would buffer demographic response. However, herds may decline when thresholds of behavioral resistance and physiological tolerance are frequently exceeded. Therefore, the challenge for managing declining populations of caribou and other robust species is to identify declines in robustness before their response becomes fragile.
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Guo H, Zhou G, Tian G, Liu Y, Dong N, Li L, Zhang S, Chai H, Chen Y, Yang Y. Changes in Rumen Microbiota Affect Metabolites, Immune Responses and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities of Sheep under Cold Stimulation. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030712. [PMID: 33807979 PMCID: PMC7999998 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Under a cold environment, the animal’s weight is reduced and even health is affected. As we all know, microbiota is beneficial to animal health. It can produce metabolites to improve animal immunity and avoid damage. Therefore, we aimed to understand the self-protection mechanisms of sheep under cold stress. To investigate this mechanism, we designed two experiments to explore the effects of low temperature and wind speed on sheep phenotypes, rumen microbes, immune cytokines and oxidative stress. Our results identified that the sheep remained healthy in a cold environment. This may be due to the enrichment of Lachnospiraceae in the rumen. A large amount of propionate may enter into the gluconeogenesis reaction, resulting in a decrease in the content of propionate in the rumen, thereby reducing animal’s immunity. In summary, the increase of Lachnospiraceae and propionate in the rumen may help sheep live in a cold environment. Our experiments provide some direction for the healthy feeding of animals in cold environments. Abstract Low-temperature environments can strongly affect the normal growth and health of livestock. In winter, cold weather can be accompanied by strong winds that aggravate the effects of cold on livestock. In this study, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of low temperature and/or wind speed on physiological indices, rumen microbiota, immune responses and oxidative stress in sheep. When sheep were exposed to cold temperature and/or stronger wind speeds, the average daily gain (ADG) decreased (p < 0.05), and the abundance of Lachnospiraceae was significantly higher (p < 0.05). The acetate and propionate contents and the proportion of propionate in the rumen also significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The immunoglobulin G (IgG) and TH1-related cytokines in the blood were significantly lower (p < 0.05). However, antioxidant enzyme contents were significantly increased and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced (p < 0.05). In a cold environment, the abundance of Lachnospiraceae in the rumen of sheep was highly enriched, and the decreasing of propionate might be one of the factors affecting the immunity of the animals, the sheep did not suffer from oxidative damage during the experiment.
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Khiaosa-Ard R, Mahmood M, Lerch F, Traintinger FP, Petri RM, Münnich M, Zebeli Q. Physicochemical stressors and mixed alkaloid supplementation modulate ruminal microbiota and fermentation in vitro. Anaerobe 2020; 65:102263. [PMID: 32861779 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2020.102263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The drop of ruminal pH and heat are common physicochemical stressors challenging ruminal microbiota, nutrient digestion and cattle performance. We characterized the ruminal microbiota and digestive activity in response to different pH (6.0 and 6.6) and temperature (39.5 and 42 °C), as well as established the effective dose of alkaloid supplementation (0, 0.088 and 0.175% of feedstock DM) to modulate ruminal fermentation under these conditions. The acidotic condition decreased microbial diversity and abundances of minor bacterial families whereas most of the highly abundant families like Lactobacillaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Bifidobacteriaceae thrived under the stress. Abundances of all three methanogenic archaea taxa detected increased with heat, as did methane production. However, while Methanomassiliicoccaceae benefited from the low pH, Methanomicrobiaceae diminished and methane production decreased. The low dose of alkaloid addition shifted the fermentation to more propionate and less acetate and the high dose decreased methane and ammonia concentration under the low pH. In conclusion, physicochemical stressors shape the microbial community and function. Mixed alkaloid supplementation facilitates the activity of rumen microbial community under acidotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratchaneewan Khiaosa-Ard
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Mubarik Mahmood
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria; Section of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore Sub-campus Jhang, 12 KM Chiniot Road, Jhang, Pakistan
| | - Frederike Lerch
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz-Pius Traintinger
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Renée Maxine Petri
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Münnich
- Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH, Wallufer Str. 10 a, 65343, Eltville, Germany
| | - Qendrim Zebeli
- Institute of Animal Nutrition and Functional Plant Compounds, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Abstract
Ruminants living in seasonal environments face a two-fold challenge during winter. The energetic cost of maintaining a high body temperature is higher at lower ambient temperatures, and this is compounded by poor availability and quality of feed. Wild ruminants acclimatize to this energetic challenge by hypothermia, that is, reduced endogenous heat production and abandoning the maintenance of a high body temperature, particularly in peripheral body parts. Further but lesser contributions to lower energy expenditure during winter are reduced foraging activity; lower heat increment of feeding; and reduced maintenance cost of size-reduced organs. Altogether, metabolic rate, estimated by the continuous measurement of heart rate, during winter is downregulated to more than half of the summer level, as is voluntary food intake, even in animals fed ad libitum. The transformation from the summer into the thrifty winter phenotype is also evident in the physiology of digestion. Microbial protein synthesis is less facilitated by diminished phosphorus secretion into the shrunk rumen during winter. In line with this result, the concentration of ammonia, the end-product of protein digestion in the rumen, peaks in rumen liquid in spring, whereas the molar proportion of acetate, an indicator of fermentation of a diet rich in fiber, peaks in winter. In contrast to reduced stimulation of growth of ruminal microbes during winter, active transport of nutrients across the intestinal epithelium is increased, resulting in more efficient exploitation of the lower amount and quality of ingested winter feed. Nevertheless, the energy balance remains negative during winter. This is compensated by using fat reserves accumulated during summer, which become a major metabolic fuel during winter.
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Phenotypic plasticity following weaning: winter body mass trends and food intake in relation to temperature by an arctic ungulate. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02623-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Thompson DP, Barboza PS, Crouse JA, McDonough TJ, Badajos OH, Herberg AM. Body temperature patterns vary with day, season, and body condition of moose (Alces alces). J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Variation in core body temperature of mammals is a result of endogenous regulation of heat from metabolism and the environment, which is affected by body size and life history. We studied moose (Alces alces) in Alaska to examine the effects of endogenous and exogenous factors on core body temperature at seasonal and daily time scales. We used a modified vaginal implant transmitter to record core body temperature in adult female moose at 5-min intervals for up to 1 year. Core body temperature in moose showed a seasonal fluctuation, with a greater daily mean core body temperature during the summer (38.2°C, 95% CI = 38.1–38.3°C) than during the winter (37.7°C, 95% CI = 37.6–37.8°C). Daily change in core body temperature was greater in summer (0.92°C, 95% CI = 0.87–0.97°C) than in winter (0.58°C, 95% CI = 0.53–0.63°C). During winter, core body temperature was lower and more variable as body fat decreased among female moose. Ambient temperature and vapor pressure accounted for a large amount of the residual variation (0.06–0.09°C) in core body temperature after accounting for variation attributed to season and individual. Ambient temperature and solar radiation had the greatest effect on the residual variation (0.17–0.20°C) of daily change in core body temperature. Our study suggests that body temperature of adult female moose is influenced by body reserves within seasons and by environmental conditions within days. When studying northern cervids, the influence of season and body condition on daily patterns of body temperature should be considered when evaluating thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Thompson
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, Soldotna, AK, USA
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Perry S Barboza
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, College Station, TX, USA
| | - John A Crouse
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kenai Moose Research Center, Soldotna, AK, USA
| | | | | | - Andrew M Herberg
- Department of Natural Resources Science and Management, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
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Andersen-Ranberg EU, Barnes CJ, Rasmussen L, Salgado-Flores A, Grøndahl C, Mosbacher JB, Hansen AJ, Sundset MA, Schmidt NM, Sonne C. A Comparative Study on the Faecal Bacterial Community and Potential Zoonotic Bacteria of Muskoxen ( Ovibos moschatus) in Northeast Greenland, Northwest Greenland and Norway. Microorganisms 2018; 6:E76. [PMID: 30044373 PMCID: PMC6164070 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms6030076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are ruminants adapted to a high-fibre diet. There is increasing interest in the role that gut microbes play in the digestion and utilization of these specialized diets but only limited data available on the gut microbiome of high-Arctic animals. In this study, we metabarcoded the 16S rRNA region of faecal samples from muskoxen of Northeast Greenland, Northwest Greenland and Norway, and quantified the effects of physiological and temporal factors on bacterial composition. We found significant effects of body mass, year of sampling and location on the gut bacterial communities of North East Greenland muskoxen. These effects were however dwarfed by the effects of location, emphasizing the importance of the local ecology on the gut bacterial community. Habitat alterations and rising temperatures may therefore have a considerable impact on muskoxen health and reproductive success. Moreover, muskoxen are hunted and consumed in Greenland, Canada and Alaska; therefore, this study also screened for potential zoonoses of food safety interest. A total of 13 potentially zoonotic genera were identified, including the genera Erysipelothrix and Yersinia implicated in recent mass die-offs of the muskoxen themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie U Andersen-Ranberg
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Science and Technology, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Christopher J Barnes
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Linett Rasmussen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Alejandro Salgado-Flores
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Carsten Grøndahl
- Copenhagen Zoo, Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Jesper B Mosbacher
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Science and Technology, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Anders J Hansen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Science and Technology, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Science and Technology, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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Herberg AM, St-Louis V, Carstensen M, Fieberg J, Thompson DP, Crouse JA, Forester JD. Calibration of a rumen bolus to measure continuous internal body temperature in moose. WILDLIFE SOC B 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Herberg
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; University of Minnesota; 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue N St. Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Véronique St-Louis
- Wildlife Biometrics Unit; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; 5463-C West Broadway Avenue Forest Lake MN 55025 USA
| | - Michelle Carstensen
- Wildlife Health Program; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; 5463-C West Broadway Avenue Forest Lake MN 55025 USA
| | - John Fieberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology; University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; University of Minnesota; 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Daniel P. Thompson
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Kenai Moose Research Center; 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road Suite B Soldotna AK 99669 USA
| | - John A. Crouse
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Kenai Moose Research Center; 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road Suite B Soldotna AK 99669 USA
| | - James D. Forester
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology; University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; University of Minnesota; 135 Skok Hall, 2003 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul MN 55108 USA
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Thompson DP, Crouse JA, McDonough TJ, Badajos OH, Adsem J, Barboza PS. Vaginal implant transmitters for continuous body temperature measurement in moose. WILDLIFE SOC B 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P. Thompson
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Kenai Moose Research Center; 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road Suite B Soldotna AK 99669 USA
| | - John A. Crouse
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Kenai Moose Research Center; 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road Suite B Soldotna AK 99669 USA
| | | | - Oriana H. Badajos
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game; 3298 Douglas Place Homer AK 99603 USA
| | - Jon Adsem
- Advanced Telemetry Systems; 470 First Avenue NW Isanti MN 55040 USA
| | - Perry S. Barboza
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences; Texas A&M University; Room 274, Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences Building, TAMU 2258 Building 1537, 534 John Kimbrough Boulevard College Station TX 77843 USA
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Duarte AC, Holman DB, Alexander TW, Kiri K, Breves G, Chaves AV. Incubation Temperature, But Not Pequi Oil Supplementation, Affects Methane Production, and the Ruminal Microbiota in a Rumen Simulation Technique (Rusitec) System. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1076. [PMID: 28701999 PMCID: PMC5487375 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipid supplementation is a promising strategy for methane mitigation in cattle and has been evaluated using several different lipid sources. However, limited studies have assessed the effect of temperature on methane emissions from cattle and changes in incubation temperature have also not been extensively evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of pequi oil (high in unsaturated fatty acids) and incubation temperature on fermentation characteristics and microbial communities using the rumen simulation technique. A completely randomized experiment was conducted over a 28-day period using a Rusitec system. The experiment was divided into four periods of 7 days each, the first of which was a 7-day adaptation period followed by three experimental periods. The two treatments consisted of a control diet (no pequi oil inclusion) and a diet supplemented with pequi oil (1.5 mL/day) which increased the dietary fat content to 6% (dry matter, DM-basis). Three fermenter vessels (i.e., replicates) were allocated to each treatment. In the first experimental period, the incubation temperature was maintained at 39°C, decreased to 35°C in the second experimental period and then increased again to 39°C in the third. Pequi oil was continuously supplemented during the experiment. Microbial communities were assessed using high-throughput sequencing of the archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Methane production was reduced by 57% following a 4°C decrease in incubation temperature. Supplementation with pequi oil increased the dietary fat content to 6% (DM-basis) but did not affect methane production. Analysis of the microbiota revealed that decreasing incubation temperature to 35°C affected the archaeal and bacterial diversity and richness of liquid-associated microbes, but lipid supplementation did not change microbial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Duarte
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, SydneyNSW, Australia
| | - Devin B Holman
- Lethbridge Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, LethbridgeAB, Canada
| | - Trevor W Alexander
- Lethbridge Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, LethbridgeAB, Canada
| | - Kerstin Kiri
- Department of Physiology, University of Veterinary MedicineHannover, Germany
| | - Gerhard Breves
- Department of Physiology, University of Veterinary MedicineHannover, Germany
| | - Alexandre V Chaves
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, SydneyNSW, Australia
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Petersen MK, Muscha JM, Mulliniks JT, Roberts AJ. Water temperature impacts water consumption by range cattle in winter. J Anim Sci 2016; 94:4297-4306. [PMID: 27898880 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2015-0155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Water consumption and DMI have been found to be positively correlated, and both may interact with ingestion of cold water or grazed frozen forage due to transitory reductions in the temperature of ruminal contents. The hypothesis underpinning the study explores the potential that cows provided warm drinking water would have increased in situ NDF and OM disappearances and a more stable rumen temperature, drink more water, and lose less BW during the winter. This hypothesis was tested in 3 experiments. In Exp. 1, ruminal extrusa (93.1% DM, 90.2% OM, 81.1% NDF [DM], and 4.9% CP [DM]) were randomly allocated to 1 of 5 in vitro incubation temperatures. In 2 independent trials, temperatures evaluated were 39, 37, or 35°C (trial 1) and 39, 33, or 31°C (trial 2). In Exp. 2, 4 pregnant rumen cannulated cows grazing in January were fitted with Kahne (KB1000) temperature continuous recording boluses for 22 d. Two grazed in a paddock provided cold water (8.2°C) and 2 in a paddock provided warm water (31.1°C). Two in situ trials were conducted placing 6 in situ bags containing 2 g of winter range ruminal extrusa in each of the 4 ruminally cannulated cows and incubating bags for 72 h for measurement of NDF disappearance. In Exp. 3, 6 paddocks ( = 3/water treatment) were grazed by 10 to 13 pregnant crossbred Angus cows from December through February across 3 yr from 2009 to 2012. Water intake per paddock was measured daily and ambient temperature was recorded. Motion-activated cameras were used to determine the time of day water was consumed and the number of cow appearances at water. In Exp. 1, rate and total gas production ( < 0.05) and NDF disappearance ( < 0.001) at 48 h was reduced by each incubation temperature below 39°C. In Exp. 2, ruminal temperature for cows supplied with warm water dropped below 38°C 1.5% of the time whereas ruminal temperature for cows provided cold water dropped below 38°C 9.4% of the time ( < 0.01). Drinking water temperature did not alter in situ OM or NDF disappearance. In Exp. 3, cows with access to warm water consumed 30% ( < 0.05) more water than cows provided cold water. In this study, there were energetic costs to range cows proportional to consumption of water at temperatures less than body temperature. The magnitude of these costs were found to be less than the heat increment because no improvement to BW gain, BCS change, or calf birth weight were found for cows consuming warmed water.
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Bøe KE, Dønnem I. The effect of frozen grass silage on the feed intake and feeding behavior of pregnant ewes. J Anim Sci 2015; 93:4819-25. [PMID: 26523575 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2015-8955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of frozen grass silage on the feed intake, feed preferences, and feeding behavior of ewes. Two experiments were conducted, each involving 8 pregnant ewes in a Latin square design with 4 treatments: 1) frozen silage; 2) partly frozen silage; 3) frozen, chopped silage; 4) and unfrozen silage (control). In Exp. 2, the ewes in square 1 were fed grass silage with low DM content (LDM) and in square 2 the ewes were fed grass silage with high DM content (HDM). In both experiments, each treatment period lasted for 14 d. A feed preference test was conducted, where the ewes could choose between 2 of the experimental feed treatments for 1 d in a changeover design so that they were exposed to all pairwise combinations of the 4 treatments. On the last day of each experimental period in Exp. 1, the feeding behavior was scored by direct observation for 4 h. In Exp. 1 ( < 0.0001) and in Exp. 2 ( = 0.03), feed intake in the first 4 h after feeding was lowest on the frozen silage treatment and highest on the control treatment. The DMI in the first 4 h after feeding was higher ( = 0.005) in the HDM treatment than in the LDM treatment. The total daily feed intake in Exp. 1 was lowest on the frozen, chopped silage treatment and highest on the unfrozen silage treatment ( = 0.02). In Exp. 2, daily feed intake did not differ ( = 0.32) among treatments. Total daily feed intake was higher ( < 0.0001) in the LDM treatment than in the HDM treatment but there was no difference in the DMI. There was no difference in the preference for the different feed treatments, when considering either the first 4 h ( = 0.12 to = 0.86) or the whole 24-h period ( = 0.25 to = 0.53). Time spent eating normally was longer on the control treatment and shorter on the frozen silage treatments ( < 0.0001) whereas time spent eating by tearing off feed from the frozen block followed the opposite pattern ( < 0.0001). We conclude that intake of frozen silage was lower for the first 4 h but that frozen silage had a very moderate effect on daily feed intake. Partly thawing or chopping improved the feed intake. Treatment had no significant effect on feed preferences. Feeding frozen silage increased time spent tearing off feed from frozen block, but total time eating was moderately increased.
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13
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Thompson D, Barboza P. Nutritional implications of increased shrub cover for caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the Arctic. CAN J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Shrubs are increasing in the annual range of arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus (L., 1758)), but it is unknown how much summer browse caribou could consume. We measured instantaneous intakes of resin birch (Betula glandulosa Michx.) and feltleaf willow (Salix alaxensis (Andersson) Coville) by caribou during summer. Daily intake of a formulated diet without toxins was measured during the same period to monitor appetite. Caribou appetite increased from 64.1 to 86.7 g DM·kg–0.75·day−1 as animals gained body mass from 96.8 to 113.5 kg. We estimated that caribou required 645 kJ·kg–0.75·day−1 of digestible energy to maintain body mass and 1113 kJ·kg–0.75·day−1 to gain body mass for autumn reproduction. Caribou had the same bite mass (9.7 mg·bite−1·kg–0.75) and instantaneous intake rate (0.17 g DM·min−1·kg–0.75) on both forages; however, birch contained more phenols (3.3% vs. 1.5%) and less available protein (6.2% vs. 10.2%) than willow. A 100 kg female caribou would need to consume 2.4–8.7 kg of fresh browse, requiring 3.1–8.5 h·day−1 of eating time to meet daily energy requirements. Birch is unlikely to provide enough nitrogen for maintenance of body protein. Therefore, caribou may depend on abundance and diversity of plants to offset toxin loads and low protein intake from shrubs during summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- D.P. Thompson
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, P.O. Box 756100, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - P.S. Barboza
- Institute of Arctic Biology, Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
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Hernandez-Sanabria E, Goonewardene LA, Wang Z, Zhou M, Moore SS, Guan LL. Influence of sire breed on the interplay among rumen microbial populations inhabiting the rumen liquid of the progeny in beef cattle. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58461. [PMID: 23520513 PMCID: PMC3592819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2012] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate whether the host genetic background impact the ruminal microbial communities of the progeny of sires from three different breeds under different diets. Eighty five bacterial and twenty eight methanogen phylotypes from 49 individuals of diverging sire breed (Angus, ANG; Charolais, CHA; and Hybrid, HYB), fed high energy density (HE) and low energy density (LE) diets were determined and correlated with breed, rumen fermentation and phenotypic variables, using multivariate statistical approaches. When bacterial phylotypes were compared between diets, ANG offspring showed the lowest number of diet-associated phylotypes, whereas CHA and HYB progenies had seventeen and twenty-three diet-associated phylotypes, respectively. For the methanogen phylotypes, there were no sire breed-associated phylotypes; however, seven phylotypes were significantly different among breeds on either diet (P<0.05). Sire breed did not influence the metabolic variables measured when high energy diet was fed. A correlation matrix of all pairwise comparisons among frequencies of bacterial and methanogen phylotypes uncovered their relationships with sire breed. A cluster containing methanogen phylotypes M16 (Methanobrevibacter gottschalkii) and M20 (Methanobrevibacter smithii), and bacterial phylotype B62 (Robinsoniella sp.) in Angus offspring fed low energy diet reflected the metabolic interactions among microbial consortia. The clustering of the phylotype frequencies from the three breeds indicated that phylotypes detected in CHA and HYB progenies are more similar among them, compared to ANG animals. Our results revealed that the frequency of particular microbial phylotypes in the progeny of cattle may be influenced by the sire breed when different diets are fed and ultimately further impact host metabolic functions, such as feed efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Hernandez-Sanabria
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Laksiri A. Goonewardene
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Zhiquan Wang
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mi Zhou
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Stephen S. Moore
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- The University of Queensland Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Le Luo Guan
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Blix AS, Lian H, Ness J. Immobilization of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) with etorphine and xylazine. Acta Vet Scand 2011; 53:42. [PMID: 21707976 PMCID: PMC3141559 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-53-42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
One hundred and thirty three "wild" muskoxen, 81 of which of known body mass, were successfully immobilized using etorphine (M99), and xylazine (Rompun®), delivered by use of a dart gun. A dose of 0.05 mg/kg M99, supplemented by 0.15 mg/kg Rompun was found to be very effective. This dose is much higher than currently recommended e.g. by Handbook of Wildlife Chemical Immobilization.
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16
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Coltrane JA, Farley S, Barboza PS, Kohl F, Sinnott R, Barnes BM. Seasonal body composition, water turnover, and field metabolic rates in porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) in Alaska. J Mammal 2011. [DOI: 10.1644/10-mamm-a-262.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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17
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Signer C, Ruf T, Arnold W. Hypometabolism and basking: the strategies of Alpine ibex to endure harsh over-wintering conditions. Funct Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01806.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Barboza PS, Bennett A, Lignot JH, Mackie RI, McWhorter TJ, Secor SM, Skovgaard N, Sundset MA, Wang T. Digestive challenges for vertebrate animals: microbial diversity, cardiorespiratory coupling, and dietary specialization. Physiol Biochem Zool 2010; 83:764-74. [PMID: 20578844 DOI: 10.1086/650472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The digestive system is the interface between the supply of food for an animal and the demand for energy and nutrients to maintain the body, to grow, and to reproduce. Digestive systems are not morphologically static but rather dynamically respond to changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the diet and the level of food intake. In this article, we discuss three themes that affect the ability of an animal to alter digestive function in relation to novel substrates and changing food supply: (1) the fermentative digestion in herbivores, (2) the integration of cardiopulmonary and digestive functions, and (3) the evolution of dietary specialization. Herbivores consume, digest, and detoxify complex diets by using a wide variety of enzymes expressed by bacteria, predominantly in the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Carnivores, such as snakes that feed intermittently, sometimes process very large meals that require compensatory adjustments in blood flow, acid secretion, and regulation of acid-base homeostasis. Snakes and birds that specialize in simple diets of prey or nectar retain their ability to digest a wider selection of prey. The digestive system continues to be of interest to comparative physiologists because of its plasticity, both phenotypic and evolutionary, and because of its widespread integration with other physiological systems, including thermoregulation, circulation, ventilation, homeostasis, immunity, and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Barboza
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
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19
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Gustine D, Barboza P, Lawler J. Dynamics of Body Protein and the Implications for Reproduction in Captive Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) during Winter. Physiol Biochem Zool 2010; 83:687-97. [DOI: 10.1086/652729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Coltrane JA, Barboza PS. Winter as a nutritional bottleneck for North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum). J Comp Physiol B 2010; 180:905-18. [PMID: 20306197 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-010-0460-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2009] [Revised: 01/14/2010] [Accepted: 02/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
North American porcupines are distributed across a wide variety of habitats where they consume many different species of plants. Winter is a nutritional bottleneck for northern populations, because porcupines remain active when environmental demands are high and food quality is low. We used captive porcupines to examine physiological responses to low-quality diets at high energy demands during winter at ambient temperatures as low as -39 degrees C. We did not observe an endogenous pattern of body mass gain or loss when porcupines were fed a low nitrogen diet (1.1% dry matter) ad libitum through winter. Dry matter intake declined from 43.6 to 14.6 g kg(-0.75) d(-1) even though ambient temperatures declined from -3 to -30 degrees C, which indicates a seasonal decrease in metabolic rate. Porcupines consuming white spruce needles maintained digestive efficiency for energy (61%) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (50%). However, low requirements for energy (398 kJ kg(-0.75) d(-1)) and nitrogen (209 mg kg(-0.75) d(-1)) minimized the loss of body mass when intakes were low and plant toxins increased urinary losses of energy and nitrogen. Porcupines were also able to tolerate low intakes of sodium, even when dietary potassium loads were high. Porcupines use a flexible strategy to survive winter: low requirements are combined with a high tolerance for dietary imbalances that minimize the use of body stores when demands exceed supply. However, body stores are rapidly restored when conditions allow. Porcupines posses many physiological abilities similar to specialist herbivores, but retain the ability of a generalist to survive extreme conditions by using a variety of foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Coltrane
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, 333 Raspberry Rd., Anchorage, AK 99518, USA.
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Signer C, Ruf T, Schober F, Fluch G, Paumann T, Arnold W. A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants. Methods Ecol Evol 2010; 1:75-85. [PMID: 22428081 DOI: 10.1111/j.2041-210x.2009.00010.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
1. Measuring physiological and behavioural parameters in free-ranging animals - and therefore under fully natural conditions - is of general biological concern but difficult to perform.2. We have developed a minimally invasive telemetry system for ruminants that is capable of measuring heart rate (HR), body temperature (T(b)) and locomotor activity (LA). A ruminal transmitter unit was per os placed into the reticulum and therefore located in close proximity to the heart. The unit detected HR by the use of an acceleration sensor and also measured T(b). HR and T(b) signals were transmitted via short-distance UHF link to a repeater system located in a collar unit. The collar unit decoded and processed signals received from the ruminal unit, measured LA with two different activity sensors and transmitted pulse interval-modulated VHF signals over distances of up to 10 km.3. HR data measured with the new device contained noise caused by reticulum contractions and animal movements that triggered the acceleration sensor in the ruminal unit. We have developed a software filter to remove this noise. Hence, the system was only capable of measuring HR in animals that showed little or no activity and in the absence of rumen contractions. Reliability of this 'stationary HR' measurement was confirmed with a second independent measurement of HR detected by an electrocardiogram in a domestic sheep (Ovis aries).4. In addition, we developed an algorithm to correctly classify an animal as 'active' or 'at rest' during each 3-min interval from the output of the activity sensors. Comparison with direct behavioural observations on free-ranging Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) showed that 87% of intervals were classified correctly.5. First results from applications of this new technique in free-ranging Alpine ibex underlined its suitability for reliable and long-term monitoring of physiological and behavioural parameters in ruminants under harsh field conditions. With the battery settings and measurement cycles used in this study, we achieved a system lifetime of approximately 2 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Signer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstrasse 1, A-1160 Vienna, Austria
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Munn AJ, Barboza PS, Dehn J. Sensible heat loss from Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) feeding in winter: small calves are not at a thermal disadvantage compared with adult cows. Physiol Biochem Zool 2009; 82:455-67. [PMID: 19569931 DOI: 10.1086/605400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are large (>200 kg adult body mass) mammalian herbivores that overwinter in the polar regions. Calves are around one-third the body mass of mature females and may be expected to suffer greater thermal stresses in winter compared with adults because the ratio of surface area to volume (SA:vol) is much greater for calves than for adults. We found that during feeding bouts, when animals are fully exposed to environmental conditions, calves did lose sensible (dry) heat more readily than adults (W m(-2)) in still air conditions. However, calves and cows lost less than 2%-6% of their estimated daily digestible energy intake as conductive, convective, and radiant heat losses accumulated during feeding bouts. More important, calves did not lose relatively more heat than larger adults in terms of sensible losses as part of their daily energy intake. Coat surface temperatures were only 2 degrees -5 degrees C above ambient even when air temperature fell to -40 degrees C. Body temperatures recorded deep within the ear canal near the tympanum fluctuated in both cows and calves. Muskoxen combine peripheral heterothermy and an exceptional winter coat to minimize sensible heat loss in winter. These mechanisms appear to have circumvented some of the thermal problems normally associated with a high SA:vol ratio in calves, which reflects the strong selection to conserve energy in winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Munn
- Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709, Canada.
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Munn AJ, Barboza PS. Could a big gut be too costly for muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in their first winter? ZOOLOGY 2008; 111:350-362. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2007.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2007] [Revised: 10/08/2007] [Accepted: 10/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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