September 2017
Mendoza P, Riveros R, Vilchez C.
Conference: 12 th Biennial ZWNF/NAG Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition 2017
At: Frisco - Texas
Photo: Pierina Mendoza
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of four dietary crude protein (CP) levels, by mixing two commercial milk replacers, on the performance and apparent protein digestibility in captive orphan calves of Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis). Four individuals (two males and two females), with an average weight of 28.95 kg and an average age of 8.75 months, were used in the study. The dietary treatments were: Diet 1 (7.22 g CP), Diet 2 (9.77 g CP), Diet 3 (12.25 g CP) and Diet 4 (14.88 g CP). Each animal received one of each diet during 14-day period with a 7-day adaptation period between diets. Feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion were recorded. Chromium oxide was used to determine apparent protein digestibility; additionally, the protein content of manatee’s milk was determined. Registered data was analyzed using a 4x4 Latin Square Design and mean comparisons were performed using the statistical software IBM SPSS 24.0. The results showed that feed intake and weight gain were not influenced (P > 0.05) by the dietary treatments. However, the lowest feed conversion corresponded to Diet 3, which was different (P < 0.05) from Diet 1, but it was not (P > 0.05) from Diet 2 or Diet 4. The highest apparent protein digestibility corresponded to Diet 4. The protein content of manatee’s milk was 9.70%. In conclusion, orphan calves of manatees can be fed with different proportions of commercial milk replacers without affecting their performance.
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