Differences in relative volume and weight of stomach among four free living ruminants

0164452 - UBO-W 20030019 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Kamler, Jiří - Dvořák, J. - Kamlerová, K.
Differences in relative volume and weight of stomach among four free living ruminants.
Acta veterinaria Brno. Roč. 72, č. 1 (2003), s. 33-39. ISSN 0001-7213. E-ISSN 1801-7576
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/99/D053; GA AV ČR IBS6093003
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6093917
Keywords : feeding strategies * stomach
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 0.336, year: 2003
http://vfu-www.vfu.cz/acta-vet/vol72/pdf/72_033.pdf

The aim of this study was to estimate similarities in relative volume and weight of stomachs of free-living red deer, fallow deer, roe deer and mouflon to evaluate their feeding strategy. Studied parameters were evaluated according to season, sex, age and locality. In all of the four studied species, rumen was larger in vegetation period than in winter (p ? 0.01). The greatest differences between seasons were found in rumen volume (15 ů 20% on average). Differences in the volume and weight of reticulum, omasum and abomasum were smaller or not significant. The roe deer females had higher relative volume (by 40%) and weight (by 55%) of total stomach (p ? 0.005) compared to males. Age of animals had no influence on size of reticulum, omasum and abomasum. The differences between species are in agreement with their feeding strategy. Seasonal differences in rumen size correspond to the changes of their diet.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0061671