Effects of altering diet carbohydrate profile and physical form on zoo ‐housed giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata

AbstractUnlike wild giraffe that primarily consume low starch browse, the preference of zoo-housed giraffe for consuming supplemental feeds over forage could increase the risk of digestive disorders such as ruminal acidosis. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of modifying a supplemental feed's non-fibre carbohydrate profile and physical form on nutritional, behavioural, and blood measures of giraffe in a zoological setting. Six non-lactating, adult, female reticulated giraffes were used in a two-pen modified reversal study using two dietary treatments in seven 21-day periods with data collected on days 15 –21. Dietary treatments were a control feed comprised of commercially available products used at the time as the giraffe feed (GF) and an unpelleted experimental feed (EF). On a dry matter basis, GF and EF, respectively, contained 17.0% and 17.4% crude protein, 14.2% and 1.5% starch, 14.9% and 21. 3% ethanol-soluble carbohydrates, 22.9% and 26.0% acid detergent fibre (ADF) and 9.50% and 14.9% ND-soluble fibre (NDSF), with modulus of fineness values of 3.62 and 4.82. Supplemental feeds, alfalfa hay, salt, and water were available forad libitum consumption. Significance was declared atp ≤ 0.05. Intakes of hay, supplemental feeds, and total feed did not differ by diet (p >  0.28), though intakes of starch (0.93 and 0.12 kg;p = 0.05) and ADF (1.83 and 2.23 kg;p = 0.04) differed between GF and EF respectively. Giraffe behaviour values (min/48...
Source: Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition - Category: Zoology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research