AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Cellulose Digestion in Ruffed Grouse, Chukar Partridge, and Bobwhite Quail

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1973
Authors:Inman, DL
Journal:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Volume:37
Issue:1
Date Published:1973
ISBN Number:0022541X
Keywords:Alectoris, Alectoris chukar, Bonasa, Bonasa umbellus, Colinus, Colinus virginianus, Coturnix, Coturnix coturnix, Odontophoridae, Perdix, Perdix perdix, Phasianidae, Philomachus, Philomachus pugnax, Scolopacidae
Abstract:Two formulated diets with 15.4 and 9.6 percent alpha-cellulose were fed to chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), and bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). The digestive parameters measured were the total dry matter metabolizability and the movement and digestion of cellulose and non-cellulose foods in the cecal and noncecal gut portions. The increase in cellulose in the higher cellulose diet seemed to inhibit the digestion of other foods for all three species. The total percentage of cellulose digested by grouse and chukars was the same on both diets but bobwhites digested a significantly (P < 0.05) higher percentage of cellulose in the higher cellulose diet. The relative sizes of the ceca among the species had little relation to the total percentage of cellulose digested. The 90 percent efficiency of cellulose digestion in the ceca of grouse and chukars, however, was greater than the 65 percent for bobwhites.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/3799750
Short Title:The Journal of Wildlife Management
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