Acid-insoluble ash as a measure of dry matter digestibility in captive African elephants (Loxodonta africana)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20052.abs There are limited data on the diet dry matter digestibility (DMD) of captive African elephants. Although the total fecal collection method is the standard for determining DMD, it is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. The acid-insoluble ash (AIA) marker technique has been used successfully to determine DMD in ruminants and monogastrics. The objective of […]
Comparative use of four different marker systems for the estimation of digestibility and low food intake in a group of captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1031.abs In a feeding trial with four captive giraffes, nutrient digestibility was determined using four different marker systems. Although cobalt-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid proved to have no utility as a digestibility marker in this study, reasonable values could be obtained using C36 n-alkane, acid detergent lignin, and acid insoluble ash as markers. A comparison of methods […]