Compensatory growth of young wapiti stags (Cervus elaphus).

摘要

Ten yearling wapiti stags were used to study the effects of winter nutrition on subsequent performance and behavior on spring/summer pasture. During winter, five wapiti (high quality winter diet, HW) received alfalfa-brome hay and alfalfa-barley pellets. The other five (low quality winter diet, LW) were wintered on native pasture and alfalfa-brome hay. All animals were given access to feed ad libitum. On April 4 both groups were merged and released on to a 1.5 ha pasture.;Weight differences were not explained by gut fill, although wapiti in LW group had significantly higher total gut fill in April and June.;LW wapiti had smaller frame dimensions at start of spring in April. However, compensation was complete by July.;Compensatory growth was achieved mainly by higher intake.;Supplementation with alfalfa-barley pellets during winter improved the growth of calves. LW wapiti weighed less by late winter but compensatory growth narrowed these differences and both groups attained similar weights by July.;Higher intakes by compensating wapiti were achieved primarily by foraging longer and biting faster for LW and HW wapiti, respectively. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).