Digestibility of feeding regimes of the red-tailed phascogale and the kultarr in captivity

06februari2013
Source: Australian Journal of Zoology, 2012, volume 59, issue 4
Digestibility was studied in the red-tailed phascogale and the kultarr, small insectivorous/carnivorous marsupials, to determine their nutrient requirements in captivity. The marsupials were fed a range of insects, ...
rat (Rattus rattus) and small carnivore food (Wombaroo). Digestibility experiments were conducted for a total of 12 days, which incorporated a five-day adjustment phase followed by a seven-day collection period. The apparent digestibility values for the phascogale (Phascogale calura) and kultarr (Antechinomys laniger) were above 81% for dry matter, energy, protein and lipids on all diets provided. No significant difference was found between phascogales and kultarrs on the same diet with respect to apparent digestibility of dry matter, energy, protein and lipids. The apparent absorption of minerals varied for each diet for the phascogale and kultarr. Maintenance energy requirements were determined to be 954 kJ kg0.75 day–1 for the red-tailed phascogale and 695 kJ kg0.75 day–1 for the kultarr. Presented here are the most comprehensive data on diet digestibility for dasyurids thus far.

Title: Digestibility of feeding regimes of the red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) and the kultarr (Antechinomys laniger) in captivity.

Authors: Stannard HJ and Old JM.

Source: Australian Journal of Zoology, 2012, volume 59, issue 4