Cargando…

Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection

The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a critically endangered species facing multiple anthropogenic pressures in its natural home range across Africa. Black rhinoceros are difficult to maintain ex situ and subject to diseases that are linked with captive dietary factors. Hemochromatosis is of p...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Ricketts, Victoria, Dierenfeld, Ellen S., Sauer, Cathrine, Whitehouse‐Tedd, Katherine
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: John Wiley and Sons Inc. 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7894470/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33135310
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21580
_version_ 1783653256689352704
author Ricketts, Victoria
Dierenfeld, Ellen S.
Sauer, Cathrine
Whitehouse‐Tedd, Katherine
author_facet Ricketts, Victoria
Dierenfeld, Ellen S.
Sauer, Cathrine
Whitehouse‐Tedd, Katherine
author_sort Ricketts, Victoria
collection PubMed
description The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a critically endangered species facing multiple anthropogenic pressures in its natural home range across Africa. Black rhinoceros are difficult to maintain ex situ and subject to diseases that are linked with captive dietary factors. Hemochromatosis is of particular concern, as it is a common finding at necropsy of captive adults, and has been linked to excessive dietary iron intake. This intake study investigates the select nutrient composition of the diets offered to and consumed by five captive black rhinoceros in a UK zoo to evaluate, ensure adequacy, and/or make adjustments if necessary. Alfalfa hay, pellets and six browse species offered were analyzed for iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid content. Intakes were quantified and evaluated against levels found in wild diets and the currently available feeding guidelines for black rhinoceros. Diets eaten by five individual rhinoceros (1.4%–2.3% of bodyweight dry matter [DM] intake), comprising 68%–82% hay, 6%–13% pellets, and 13%–27% browse, contained 76–98 mg/kg Fe (on a DM basis), fell within the ranges of plants eaten by free‐ranging rhinoceros (45–140 mg/kg DM), as well as values recommended for captive‐fed browsing rhinoceros (50–100 mg/kg DM). Consumed diets were found to be marginal to adequate in Cu (9–11 mg/kg DM) compared with the recommended 10 mg/kg DM; dietary vitamin E ranged from 54 to 79 IU/kg DM, and tannic acid measured 13–14 g/kg DM. Commercial pellets were the primary contributor of dietary Fe, Cu, and vitamin E, containing up to 10 times more of each of those nutrients than the forages. Native browses were important sources of lower Fe ingredients, as well as appropriate levels of dietary Cu and vitamin E (dependent on species). Interestingly, pellets (23 g/kg) and alfalfa hay (14 g/kg) contained higher concentrations of tannic acid compared with any of the browses fed (4–13 g/kg). All nutritional parameters evaluated were close to recommended dietary levels, diets resembled values consumed in the wild, and the animals remained clinically healthy throughout the study. Overall, diets were considered nutritionally adequate for captive feeding of black rhinoceros; evaluating the nutrient composition of all ingredients, including browse plants in diets, provides important information for achieving optimal nutrient balance.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-7894470
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2020
publisher John Wiley and Sons Inc.
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-78944702021-03-02 Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection Ricketts, Victoria Dierenfeld, Ellen S. Sauer, Cathrine Whitehouse‐Tedd, Katherine Zoo Biol Husbandry Reports The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a critically endangered species facing multiple anthropogenic pressures in its natural home range across Africa. Black rhinoceros are difficult to maintain ex situ and subject to diseases that are linked with captive dietary factors. Hemochromatosis is of particular concern, as it is a common finding at necropsy of captive adults, and has been linked to excessive dietary iron intake. This intake study investigates the select nutrient composition of the diets offered to and consumed by five captive black rhinoceros in a UK zoo to evaluate, ensure adequacy, and/or make adjustments if necessary. Alfalfa hay, pellets and six browse species offered were analyzed for iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid content. Intakes were quantified and evaluated against levels found in wild diets and the currently available feeding guidelines for black rhinoceros. Diets eaten by five individual rhinoceros (1.4%–2.3% of bodyweight dry matter [DM] intake), comprising 68%–82% hay, 6%–13% pellets, and 13%–27% browse, contained 76–98 mg/kg Fe (on a DM basis), fell within the ranges of plants eaten by free‐ranging rhinoceros (45–140 mg/kg DM), as well as values recommended for captive‐fed browsing rhinoceros (50–100 mg/kg DM). Consumed diets were found to be marginal to adequate in Cu (9–11 mg/kg DM) compared with the recommended 10 mg/kg DM; dietary vitamin E ranged from 54 to 79 IU/kg DM, and tannic acid measured 13–14 g/kg DM. Commercial pellets were the primary contributor of dietary Fe, Cu, and vitamin E, containing up to 10 times more of each of those nutrients than the forages. Native browses were important sources of lower Fe ingredients, as well as appropriate levels of dietary Cu and vitamin E (dependent on species). Interestingly, pellets (23 g/kg) and alfalfa hay (14 g/kg) contained higher concentrations of tannic acid compared with any of the browses fed (4–13 g/kg). All nutritional parameters evaluated were close to recommended dietary levels, diets resembled values consumed in the wild, and the animals remained clinically healthy throughout the study. Overall, diets were considered nutritionally adequate for captive feeding of black rhinoceros; evaluating the nutrient composition of all ingredients, including browse plants in diets, provides important information for achieving optimal nutrient balance. John Wiley and Sons Inc. 2020-11-02 2021 /pmc/articles/PMC7894470/ /pubmed/33135310 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21580 Text en © 2020 The Authors. Zoo Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC This is an open access article under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
spellingShingle Husbandry Reports
Ricketts, Victoria
Dierenfeld, Ellen S.
Sauer, Cathrine
Whitehouse‐Tedd, Katherine
Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection
title Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection
title_full Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection
title_fullStr Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection
title_full_unstemmed Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection
title_short Feed intake and dietary composition of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), vitamin E, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in a UK collection
title_sort feed intake and dietary composition of iron (fe), copper (cu), vitamin e, and tannic acid of five captive black rhinoceros (diceros bicornis) in a uk collection
topic Husbandry Reports
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7894470/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33135310
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21580
work_keys_str_mv AT rickettsvictoria feedintakeanddietarycompositionofironfecoppercuvitamineandtannicacidoffivecaptiveblackrhinocerosdicerosbicornisinaukcollection
AT dierenfeldellens feedintakeanddietarycompositionofironfecoppercuvitamineandtannicacidoffivecaptiveblackrhinocerosdicerosbicornisinaukcollection
AT sauercathrine feedintakeanddietarycompositionofironfecoppercuvitamineandtannicacidoffivecaptiveblackrhinocerosdicerosbicornisinaukcollection
AT whitehouseteddkatherine feedintakeanddietarycompositionofironfecoppercuvitamineandtannicacidoffivecaptiveblackrhinocerosdicerosbicornisinaukcollection