SHORT COMMUNICATION
Effect of seasonal diet composition changes
on the characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract contents
of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber)
1
The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
2
Witiold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
3
Robert Gordon University, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Garthdee Campus, Aberdeen, Scotland AB10 7GJ, UK
4
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Forest,
Department of Forest Botany, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Publication date: 2019-12-27
Corresponding author
G. Bełżecki
The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2019;28(4):392-397
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The goal of the study was to compare chemical and physical
parameters of the content of various gastrointestinal (GI) tract segments of
adult beavers and to relate the obtained results to seasonal changes in the
composition of natural diet. The study was conducted on 36 adult beavers
originated from the natural environment that were captured in winter, summer
and autumn. The obtained results demonstrated that pH, redox potential (Eh),
dry matter (DM), short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and distribution of food particles
varied along the beaver GI tract during the year. The lowest value of pH was
observed in stomach whereas the highest in the small intestine and cecum.
The reverse pattern of changes was found for the value of redox potential. The
research indicated that anaerobic conditions were predominant in the cecum
and so contributed to development of microbial population. Also, the increase in
the SCFA contents in the cecum and colon indicated that beavers belong both to
hindgut fermenters as well as to the mixed moderate type animals. In summary,
the obtained results indicated that seasonal changes in the diet composition
affected physical and chemical parameters as well as microbial activity of the
GI tract of beaver.
REFERENCES (19)
1.
Bełżecki G., Miltko R., Kowalik B., Demiaszkiewicz A.W., Lachowicz J., Giżejewski Z., Obidziński A., McEwan N.R., 2018. Seasonal variations of the digestive tract of the Eurasian beaver Castor fiber. Mamm. Res. 63, 21–31, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364....
2.
Björnhag G., 1987. Comparative aspects of digestion in the hindgut of mammals. The colonic separation method (CSM). Dtsch. Tierarztl. Wschr. 94, 33–36.
3.
Clauss M., Nunn C., Fritz J., Hummel J., 2009. Evidence for a tradeoff between retention time and chewing efficiency in large mammalian herbivores. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. A 154, 376–382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa....
4.
Gidenne T., 1992. Effect of fibre level, particle size and adaptation period on digestibility and rate of passage as measured at the ileum and in the faeces in the adult rabbit. Br. J. Nutr. 67, 133–146, https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN199....
5.
Janiszewski P., Kolasa S., Strychalski J., 2017. The preferences of the European beaver Castor fiber for trees and shrubs in riparian zones. App. Ecol. Environ. Res. 15, 313–327, https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/....
6.
Juśkiewicz J., Żary-Sikorska E., Zduńczyk Z., Król B., Jarosławska J., Jurgoński A., 2012. Effect of dietary supplementation with unprocessed and ethanol-extracted apple pomaces on caecal fermentation, antioxidant and blood biomarkers in rats. Br. J. Nutr. 107, 1138–1114, https://doi.org/10.1017/S00071....
7.
Kohl K.D., Stengel A., Samun-Blank M., Dearing M.D., 2013. Effects of anatomy and diet on gastrointestinal pH in rodents. J. Exp. Zool. 319A, 225–229, https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.17....
8.
Krojerová-Prokešová J., Barančeková M., Hamšíková L., Vorel A., 2010. Feeding habits of reintroduced Eurasian beaver: spatial and seasonal variation in the use of food resources. J. Zool. 281, 183193, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469....
9.
Lanyon J.M., Sanson G.D., 2006. Mechanical disruption of seagrass in the digestive tract of the dugong. J. Zool. 27, 277–289, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469....
10.
Mahida H., Perrin M.R., 1994. The effect of different diets on the amount of organic acid produced in the digestive tract of Mystromys albicaudatus. Acta Theriol. 39, 21–27, https://doi.org/10.4098/AT.arc....
11.
Marounek M., Skřivan M., Březina P., Hoza I., 2005. Digestive organs, caecal metabolites and fermentation pattern in coypus (Myocastor coypus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Acta Vet. Brno 74, 3–7, https://doi.org/10.2754/avb200....
12.
Michelland R.J., Combes S., Monteils V., Cauquil L., Gidenne T., Fortun-Lamothe L., 2010. Molecular analysis of the bacterial community in digestive tract of rabbit. Anaerobe 16, 61–65, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anae....
13.
Miltko R., Bełżecki G., Kowalik B., Skomiał J., 2016a. Presence of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes throughout the digestive tract of sheep. Turk. J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 40, 271–277, https://doi.org/10.3906/vet-15....
14.
Miltko R., Rozbicka-Wieczorek A., Więsyk E., Czauderna M., 2016b. The influence of different chemical forms of selenium added to the diet including carnosic acid, fish oil and rapeseed oil on the formation of volatile fatty acids and methane in the rumen, and fatty acid profiles in the rumen content and muscles of lambs. Acta Vet. Beograd 66, 373–391, https://doi.org/10.1515/acve-2....
15.
Müller J., Clauss M., Codron D., Schulz E., Hummel J., Fortelius M., Kircher P., Hatt J-M., 2014. Growth and wear of incisor and cheek teeth in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed diets of different abrasiveness. J. Exp. Zool. 321A, 283–298, https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.18....
16.
Naumova E.I., Zharova G.K., Chistova T.Yu., Kuznetsova T.A., 2015. The effect of coprophagy on the size of plant fibers in the digestive tract of hares Lepus europaeus and L. timidus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae). Biol. Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci. 42, 426–431, https://doi.org/10.1134/S10623....
17.
Pająk J.J., Żebrowska T., Długołęcka Z., Korczyński M., 1997. Particle size distribution and outflow rate from the rumen of cows fed rations with different protein sources. J. Anim. Feed Sci. 6, 471–484, https://doi.org/10.22358/jafs/....
18.
Sakaguchi E., 2003. Digestive strategies of small hindgut fermenters. Anim. Sci. J. 74, 327–337, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1344....
19.
Żary-Sikorska E., Juśkiewicz J., Jundziłł A., Rybka J., 2016. Effect of diets varying in the type of dietary fibre and its combination with polyphenols on gut function, microbial activity and antioxidant status in rats. J. Anim. Feed Sci. 25. 250–258, https://doi.org/10.22358/jafs/....
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| ISSN: | 1230-1388 |
Assigning DOI numbers, introducing articles from supplements and recent publications to POL-index database, maintaining anti-plagiarism detection, electronic system to proceed manuscripts and webpage of the Journal with interactive pdf files, and language correction of manuscripts published in Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences are financed in the years 2018–2019 by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education from the funds for science popularization activities, Agreement No. 631/P-DUN/2018.
© 2006-2024 Journal hosting platform by Bentus
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
