Seasonal adjustment of energy budget in a large wild mammal, the Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) I. Energy intake.
Abstract: Large ruminants respond to changing plant phenology during winter by decreasing voluntary food intake, increasing gut passage time and utilizing body fat reserves. It is uncertain, however, how other large mammals with a non-ruminant digestive physiology cope with winter forage conditions. Therefore, we investigated seasonality of energy intake in a large herbivorous wild mammal, the Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii). Throughout all seasons we used the n-alkane method to measure daily dry matter intake (DMI), diet composition and digestion, and determined an index of gut passage time in horses living under close to natural conditions. DMI correlated positively with its content of crude protein and nitrogen-free extract. Independent of these effects, DMI further varied seasonally with a peak in autumn and a nadir in late winter. Fluctuations of DMI corresponded to the annual change in body condition, which decreased during winter while energy reserves were depleted, and increased during the fattening period. Gut passage time varied in the course of the year and was longer during winter when the diet was high in crude fibre. Nevertheless, changes in gut passage time occurred rather independently of changes in forage composition and DMI, suggesting endogenous control for timely adaption of the digestive strategy to meet predictable changes in forage quality.
Publication Date: 2006-11-03 PubMed ID: 17079725DOI: 10.1242/jeb.02535Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research outlines how a large, herbivorous wild mammal, the Przewalski horse, adjusts its energy intake, digestion and fat reserves throughout the year, with a focus on how it copes during winter. Essentially, the horse’s daily dry matter intake fluctuates seasonally to maintain balance in its energy budget amidst the changing qualities of forage.
Research Methodology
- The researchers adopted the n-alkane method to track and measure the daily dry matter intake (DMI), diet composition, and digestion progress of the Przewalski horses throughout all the seasons in a year.
- They also determined an index of the horses’ gut passage time – the time taken for the food to pass through a horse’s digestive system – under near-natural conditions.
Findings on Energy Intake
- The Przewalski horses’ DMI evidenced a positive correlation with the presence of crude protein and nitrogen-free extract – meaning, the horses’ food intake increased when the diet had more of these components.
- Furthermore, the DMI varied seasonally, reaching its highest in the fall and dropping to the lowest during the late winter. This variation notes an endogenously controlled response to changing forage quality over the seasons.
- The researchers explain these DMI fluctuations as the horse’s adaptive strategy to maintain its body condition and energy budget through the different seasons.
Impact on Body Condition and Energy Reserves
- The DMI fluctuations correlate with the changes in the horses’ body condition over the year. During winter, when DMI was low, the horses’ body condition decreased as their energy reserves were depleted.
- Conversely, during fattening periods when DMI increased, the horses’ body conditions improved as they built up their energy reserves.
Gut Passage Time
- The gut passage time recorded was the longest during winter, which was when the horses’ diets were rich in crude fibre.
- Importantly, researchers found that shifts in gut passage time mostly occurred independently of changes in forage composition and DMI. This implies the horses’ digestive strategy adapts to predictable changes in dietary quality, suggesting endogenous control rather than an immediate response to diet adjustments.
This research provides insight into the complex, adaptive physiological strategies wild large herbivores like the Przewalski horse employ to cope with seasonal changes in the quality of available forage. It highlights the endogenous control of DMI and gut passage time as crucial survival mechanisms for such mammals during challenging forage conditions, particularly in winter.
Cite This Article
APA
Kuntz R, Kubalek C, Ruf T, Tataruch F, Arnold W.
(2006).
Seasonal adjustment of energy budget in a large wild mammal, the Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) I. Energy intake.
J Exp Biol, 209(Pt 22), 4557-4565.
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.02535 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Wild / physiology
- Diet
- Dietary Fiber / administration & dosage
- Digestion
- Energy Intake
- Energy Metabolism
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Nutritional Status
- Seasons
Citations
This article has been cited 20 times.- Bernátková A, Oyunsaikhan G, Šimek J, Komárková M, Bobek M, Ceacero F. Influence of weather on the behaviour of reintroduced Przewalski's horses in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia): implications for conservation.. BMC Zool 2022 Jun 9;7(1):32.
- Iglesias Pastrana C, Delgado Bermejo JV, Sgobba MN, Navas González FJ, Guerra L, Pinto DCGA, Gil AM, Duarte IF, Lentini G, Ciani E. Camel (Camelus spp.) Urine Bioactivity and Metabolome: A Systematic Review of Knowledge Gaps, Advances, and Directions for Future Research.. Int J Mol Sci 2022 Nov 30;23(23).
- Fuh T, Todd A, Feistner A, Donati G, Masi S. Group differences in feeding and diet composition of wild western gorillas.. Sci Rep 2022 Jun 10;12(1):9569.
- Satoła A, Łuszczyński J, Petrych W, Satoła K. Body Weight Prediction from Linear Measurements of Icelandic Foals: A Machine Learning Approach.. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 11;12(10).
- Ruf T, Vetter SG, Painer J, Stalder G, Bieber C. Atypical for northern ungulates, energy metabolism is lowest during summer in female wild boars (Sus scrofa).. Sci Rep 2021 Sep 15;11(1):18310.
- Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Albon S, Arnold W, Evans AL, Irvine RJ, Król E, Ropstad E, Stien A, Veiberg V, Speakman JR, Loe LE. Determinants of heart rate in Svalbard reindeer reveal mechanisms of seasonal energy management.. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021 Aug 16;376(1831):20200215.
- Myćka G, Musiał AD, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Piórkowska K, Ropka-Molik K. Variability of ACOX1 Gene Polymorphisms across Different Horse Breeds with Regard to Selection Pressure.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 27;10(12).
- Rørvang MV, Nielsen BL, McLean AN. Sensory Abilities of Horses and Their Importance for Equitation Science.. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:633.
- Riek A, Stölzl A, Marquina Bernedo R, Ruf T, Arnold W, Hambly C, Speakman JR, Gerken M. Energy expenditure and body temperature variations in llamas living in the High Andes of Peru.. Sci Rep 2019 Mar 11;9(1):4037.
- Arnold W, Ruf T, Loe LE, Irvine RJ, Ropstad E, Veiberg V, Albon SD. Circadian rhythmicity persists through the Polar night and midnight sun in Svalbard reindeer.. Sci Rep 2018 Sep 27;8(1):14466.
- Wascher CAF, Kotrschal K, Arnold W. Free-living greylag geese adjust their heart rates and body core temperatures to season and reproductive context.. Sci Rep 2018 Feb 1;8(1):2142.
- Pohlin F, Brabender K, Fluch G, Stalder G, Petit T, Walzer C. Seasonal Variations in Heart Rate Variability as an Indicator of Stress in Free-Ranging Pregnant Przewalski's Horses (E. ferus przewalskii) within the Hortobágy National Park in Hungary.. Front Physiol 2017;8:664.
- Takahashi Y, Takahashi T. Seasonal fluctuations in body weight during growth of Thoroughbred racehorses during their athletic career.. BMC Vet Res 2017 Aug 18;13(1):257.
- Riek A, Brinkmann L, Gauly M, Perica J, Ruf T, Arnold W, Hambly C, Speakman JR, Gerken M. Seasonal changes in energy expenditure, body temperature and activity patterns in llamas (Lama glama).. Sci Rep 2017 Aug 8;7(1):7600.
- Horacek M, Sturm MB, Kaczensky P. First stable isotope analysis of Asiatic wild ass tail hair from the Mongolian Gobi.. Wiss Beitr Martin Luther Univ Halle Wittenberg 2012;12:85-92.
- Arnold W, Beiglböck C, Burmester M, Guschlbauer M, Lengauer A, Schröder B, Wilkens M, Breves G. Contrary seasonal changes of rates of nutrient uptake, organ mass, and voluntary food intake in red deer (Cervus elaphus).. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2015 Aug 1;309(3):R277-85.
- Ruf T, Geiser F. Daily torpor and hibernation in birds and mammals.. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015 Aug;90(3):891-926.
- Giles SL, Rands SA, Nicol CJ, Harris PA. Obesity prevalence and associated risk factors in outdoor living domestic horses and ponies.. PeerJ 2014;2:e299.
- Popescu FD, Hackländer K, Arnold W, Ruf T. Effects of season and reproductive state on lipid intake and fatty acid composition of gastrointestinal tract contents in the European hare.. J Comp Physiol B 2011 Jul;181(5):681-9.
- Pontzer H, Kamilar JM. Great ranging associated with greater reproductive investment in mammals.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009 Jan 6;106(1):192-6.
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