Daytime declines in rumen–reticulum fill of male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from south Texas

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (7) ◽  
pp. 637-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R.E. Aiken ◽  
A. Duarte ◽  
R.S. Luna ◽  
D.M. Wolcott ◽  
F.W. Weckerly
Keyword(s):  
Odocoileus Virginianus ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Acid Detergent Fiber ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Organ Mass ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Insight Into

Understanding rumen–reticulum fill dynamics gives us insight into how environmental conditions influence animal behaviors that affect when animals access forage. We examined whether there were daytime declines in rumen–reticulum fill in response to high ambient temperatures in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) on a diurnal scale. We hypothesized that to reduce heat-producing digestive processes in the heat of the day, rumen–reticulum fill and digestion in the rumen–reticulum would decline throughout the day. We collected the rumina and reticula of adult males and females across 30 h in two autumns in south Texas, USA. We also measured dry digesta mass, organ mass, and crude protein and acid detergent fiber concentrations of rumen–reticulum contents. In males, dry digesta mass declined throughout the day and crude protein concentrations were greatest when wet digesta and organ mass were the largest. Additionally, declines in dry digesta and wet digesta mass coincided with declines in crude protein concentrations and organ mass. Females did not display declines in rumen–reticulum fill (wet mass). Females were probably less vulnerable to heat than males because of their smaller body size. Male white-tailed deer foraged primarily during the cooler nights to reduce foraging and digestion during the heat of the day.

Rumen–reticulum characteristics, scaling relationships, and ontogeny in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 1351-1358 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.S. Luna ◽  
A. Duarte ◽  
F.W. Weckerly
Keyword(s):  
Odocoileus Virginianus ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Digestive Efficiency ◽  
Acid Detergent Fiber ◽  
Scaling Relationships ◽  
Organ Mass ◽  
A Minor

Scaling relationships between body mass and gut capacity are valuable to predicting digestive efficiency. Interspecific scaling relationships between body mass and gut capacity have consistently estimated a slope of 1.0; however, intraspecific scaling relationships between body mass and gut capacity have been highly variable. We examined the influence of demands of growth and production on scaling relationships of body mass and rumen–reticulum characteristics in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) because little is known about how juvenile and subadult ruminants accommodate increased digesta masses. We sampled 108 animals over a 2-year period and assessed the influence of body mass, time of kill, crude protein (%), and acid detergent fiber (%) in the rumen, lactation, sex, and back fat on rumen–reticulum organ mass, rumen–reticulum capacity, wet mass of the digesta, and the dry mass of the digesta. Juvenile and subadult white-tailed deer had rumen–reticulum organ masses, capacity, and digesta masses that were similar to adults because body mass and rumen–reticulum scaling relationships all had scalars similar to 1.0. Thus, under the confines of our study, ontogeny plays only a minor role in the physiological characteristics of the rumen–reticulum and the scaling relationships of body mass and rumen–reticulum capacity.

scholarly journals Influence of Body Size on Dietary Nutrition of White-Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan S. Luna ◽  
Adam Duarte ◽  
Floyd W. Weckerly
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Odocoileus Virginianus ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Intraspecific Competition ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Neutral Detergent Fiber ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Acid Detergent Fiber ◽  
Habitat Differences

Abstract Intraspecific competition is one of the major factors that can have an effect on the resources utilized within a habitat. Differences in diet quality of selected forage have been noted in size-dimorphic ungulates. However, on an intraspecific basis, data demonstrating a body size influence on diet quality are lacking. We examined diet quality across a range of body masses (14–76 kg) in white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (n  =  108) in a 2,628-ha enclosure at Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Kerr County, Texas, USA. The quality of the diet consumed was determined by crude protein, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber content of digesta in the rumen–reticulum. Results indicated that in relation to body mass, the ratio of crude protein to acid detergent fiber was greater for smaller bodied white-tailed deer. By consuming a diet higher in crude protein than did large bodied individuals, small-bodied individuals should meet their high mass-specific metabolic demands more efficiently. Furthermore, selective foraging by different-sized individuals might also reduce intraspecific competition. Information presented herein is relevant to wildlife managers in that by increasing available high-quality forage, small-bodied individuals will more efficiently meet their metabolic demands, which could have ramifications on recruitment within that population.

Sociobiology of Rhesus Monkeys Iii: the Basic Communication Network

Behaviour ◽  
1968 ◽  
Vol 32 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 17-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart A. Altmann
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Social Preferences ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Age Changes ◽  
Random Interactions ◽  
Social Signal ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Juvenile Males ◽  
Free Ranging

AbstractThe observed distribution among age-sex classes of socially significant behavior in free-ranging rhesus monkeys on Cayo Santiago was tested against a series of progressively stronger null hypotheses. The first hypothesis was of purely random interactions, in which it was assumed that all individuals were equally likely to interact, all were as likely to be actor as to be object of any social signal, and all chose their social partners at random. This model proved untenable. In particular, adult males and females interacted with each other much more often than expected from the random model, and adult males interacted more often than expected with other males, both adult and juvenile. Juvenile females tended to interact relatively infrequently with other animals of any age-sex class. Adult males and juveniles of both sexes seldom interacted with infants. A second model, which took into account these age changes and sex differences in reactivity, but ignored the possibility of social preferences and assumed that interactions could be predicted from the overall reactivity or sociability of the monkeys involved, was also inadequate to account for the observed results. Apparently rhesus social behavior not only changes with age and differs with sex, but also is affected by "attractions" and "repulsions" within the group. The result was frequent interaction between adult males and females, between adult females and infants, and among juvenile males. Juvenile females, despite their general nonsociability, were apparently attracted to juvenile males, with whom they intracted more often than expected. Males, both adult and juvenile, tended to avoid infants, and vice versa. Adult males tended to avoid and to be avoided by juveniles of both sexes. Finally, the effects on paired interactions of these age changes, sex differences attractions and repulsions constitute a new model expressed in the form of an action constant and a receptivity constant for each age-sex class, and two interaction constants for each pair of age-sex classes. A method is given for extrapolating the results to populations with other compositions.

Behavior and dispersal of white-tailed deer during the breeding season

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher S Rosenberry ◽  
Mark C Conner ◽  
Richard A Lancia
Keyword(s):  
Odocoileus Virginianus ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Behavioral Differences ◽  
Sexual Competition ◽  
Behavioral Interactions ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Dispersal Behavior ◽  
Males And Females

Sexual competition and aggression by adult females have been hypothesized to prompt dispersal by male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We observed behavioral interactions of 21 yearling males (14 dispersers and 7 nondispersers) at Chesapeake Farms during the early part of the breeding season prior to actual breeding. Interactions with adult males and females constituted a small portion of all interactions and yearling males were similarly subordinate to adults. Dispersers participated in breeding-season behaviors with yearling males more often than nondispersers did (P = 0.005), and tended to be more subordinate than nondispersers (P = 0.095). Behavioral differences related to sexual competition with other yearlings appeared to be correlated with dispersal by yearling males at Chesapeake Farms. We recommend that both sexual competition and aggression by adult females be considered in future attempts to understand the dispersal behavior of white-tailed deer.

scholarly journals Behaviourally specific preferred associations in bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops spp.

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 1566-1573 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Gero ◽  
L Bejder ◽  
H Whitehead ◽  
J Mann ◽  
R C Connor
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Shark Bay ◽  
Behavioural State ◽  
The Social ◽  
Association Group ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Free Ranging

We investigated association patterns of 52 photographically identified, free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp. Gervais, 1855) across four behavioural states (rest, travel, social, and foraging/feeding) to investigate how behavioural state influences patterns of association. Group composition and behavioural data were extracted from 2178 encounter surveys collected over 3 years. Analyses revealed three general types of association: (1) affiliates, which consistently demonstrate preferred associations across all behavioural states; (2) acquaintances, which never form preferred associations but still associate in at least one behavioural state; and (3) behavioural associates, which form preferred associations in at least one, but not all behavioural states. The majority of associations in Shark Bay, Australia, are acquaintance type (38.2%), with affiliates (5.7%, principally between adult males) and behavioural associates (28.9%, principally between juveniles) being relatively rarer. Permutation tests identified behaviourally specific preferred associations during all behavioural states. Although behaviourally specific preferred associations appear to exist within the Shark Bay social structure, it seems that the social organization and mating system constrain the social relationships for the majority of males and females in differing ways which prevent them from having behavioural associates, leaving juveniles free to associate based on short-term expediency and behavioural specific needs.

Heavier rumen–reticulum organs in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is consistent with dietary bulk not quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (7) ◽  
pp. 748-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.W. Weckerly ◽  
G. Bhaskar ◽  
A. Duarte ◽  
R.S. Luna ◽  
H.D. Starns
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Odocoileus Virginianus ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Protein Concentration ◽  
High Energy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Organ Mass ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Pelleted Diet

The organs that make up the gastrointestinal tract have high energy demands. Therefore, when these organs vary in mass, they should impact metabolic requirements. Mass of the rumen–reticulum organs, the organs that comprise the largest part of the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants, might vary from bulk or nutrient availability of the diet. We examined differences in mass of the rumen–reticulum organs in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) from two sites in Texas, USA, with different diet types. Specifically, at one site deer were fed a pelleted ration and at the other site deer consumed a natural browse diet. Accounting for body mass, deer consuming the browse diet had rumen–reticulum organ masses that were about 1.7 times heavier than deer consuming the pelleted diet. Deer consuming the browse diet also had lower diet quality, as indexed by crude protein concentration, than deer consuming the pelleted diet. The digesta loads of deer, however, were similar for the two types of diet. Our study findings are consistent with increased mass of rumen–reticulum organs from greater bulk, not diet quality. Understanding variation in rumen–reticulum organ mass has implications for understanding energy conservation in white-tailed deer.

Interactions among adult males and females before and after the death of the alpha male in a free-ranging troop of Japanese macaques

Primates ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masayuki Nakamichi ◽  
Yasuo Kojima ◽  
Naosuke Itoigawa ◽  
Shinji Imakawa ◽  
Shoji Machida
Keyword(s):  
Japanese Macaques ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Alpha Male ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Free Ranging

The micro-caddisflies (Trichoptera : Hydroptilidae) of north Sulawesi

1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Wells
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
First Record ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
North Sulawesi ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Insight Into

Twenty-two species of Hydroptilidae are described from North Sulawesi, comprising the first record of this family from Sulawesi and providing further insight into the nature of the Oriental fauna. The species fall into eight genera in three Hydroptilinae tribes: (I) Stactobiini: Chrysotrichia Schmid (3 spp.), Parastactobia Schmid (1 sp.), Scelotrichia Ulmer (1 sp.), Plethus Hagen (1 sp.); (2) Hydroptilini: Hydroptila Dalman (7 spp.), Oxyethira Eaton (1 sp.), Hellyethira Neboiss (1 sp.); (3) Orthotrichiini: Orthotrichia Eaton (7 spp.). Descriptions of 18 new species are based primarily on adult males, but females of many are described and some immatures, including the hitherto unknown 5th-instar larvae, pupae and cases of Chrysotrichia and Scelotrichia. Keys to genera are provided for adults and cased larvae. In addition, keys are provided to males and females of Hydroptila and males of Chrysotrichia and Orthotrichia. A checklist of the Hydroptilidae of North Sulawesi is appended. The considerable intra-specific variation across the wide Australasian-SE. Asian ranges of Hydroptila obscura Wells, H. incertula Mosely and Oxyethira incana Ulmer is discussed, and the New Guinean H. explicata Wells is synonymised with H. obscura. Asseseement of variability in several genera leads to a redefinition of Chrysotrichia and the synonymy of Madioxyethira Schmid and Pseudoxyethira Schmid with Scelotrichia Ulmer. Relationships of stactobiine genera are considered.

scholarly journals Mating System of Free-Ranging Dogs (Canis familiaris)

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Pal
Keyword(s):  
Mating System ◽  
Canis Familiaris ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Natural Factors ◽  
Old Adult ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
Number Of Males

Fourteen females belonging to five groups were selected for the study of mating system in free-ranging domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) All the matings occurred between August and December with a peak in late monsoon months (September to November). Both males and females differed in their degree of attractiveness to the opposite sex. The duration of courting association increased with the number of courting males in an association. The females exhibited selectivity by readily permitting some males to mate and avoiding, or even attacking others, if they attempted to mount. Frequency of mounting in courting association increased with the number of males present. There was a positive correlation between the duration of courting association and the frequency of mounting. The young adult males were more likely to copulate successfully than the old adult males. There was a negative correlation between the number of males present in an association and the number of successful copulations. In this study, six types of mating (monogamy, polygyny, promiscuity, polyandry, opportunity and rape) were recorded. Mean (±S.E.) duration ofcopulatory tieswas 25.65 (±1.43) min. Several natural factors influencing the duration of copulatory ties were identified.

Use of rumen–reticulum fill to examine nutrient transfer and factors influencing food intake in white-tailed deer (Odocoileusvirginianus)

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 439-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith R.E. Aiken ◽  
Daniel M. Wolcott ◽  
Adam Duarte ◽  
Ryan S. Luna ◽  
Heath D. Starns ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Nutrient Transfer ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Gut Fill ◽  
Pelleted Diet ◽  
Large Animals ◽  
Free Ranging

Estimating relationships of gut fill in mammalian herbivores is useful to understanding digestive functions. Large animals might have more fluid in the gut to facilitate nutrient transfer between the gut lumen and the gut wall. Furthermore, relationships between concentrations of dietary refractory and indigestible fiber (CRIF) and gut fill might indicate whether chemostatic factors or physical distension of the gut affects food intake. We collected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780); 122 males, 152 females) from three sites in central and south Texas that varied in diet quality as indexed by rumen–reticulum crude protein concentrations. Large animals did not have more fluid in their rumina–reticula than small animals because the scalar between body mass and wet mass of rumen–reticulum contents was not greater than the scalar estimated for dry mass of rumen–reticulum contents. We expected a positive or an inverse relationship when rates of forage comminution, digestion, and particle passage were high or low, respectively. At the site where deer had access to a high-quality pelleted diet, we detected a positive relationship between CRIF and dry mass. At sites with free-ranging deer and lower quality diets, relationships between CRIF and dry fill were inversely related. Food intake of deer was probably influenced by chemostatic factors at the site with a high-quality pelleted diet and by physical distension of the gut at the other two sites.

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