Abstract

A study was conducted to develop a method for nutritive evaluation of feeds and fodders given to wild ungulates at the State Museum and Zoo, Thrissur, Kerala. Dung of wild ungulates were used as inoculum sources for in vitro gas production technique and compared with dung and rumen inoculum of control animal (cattle).The in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of green gram, bengal gram, cotton seed, pellet feed, green grass and jackfruit leaves ranged from59.26±0.27to 72.35±0.70, 62.90±0.04 to 70.72±0.01, 34.59±0.69 to 37.94±0.14, 47.74±0.0 to 50.29±0.50, 40.20±0.19 to 43.53±0.19 and 43.75±0.05 to 45.22±0.03 per cent, respectively in different wild ungulates such as sambar deer, hog deer, black buck and spotted deer and control animal under this study. It can be concluded that the organic matter digestibility of wild ungulates can easily be predicted by in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT) employing dung as a substitute source of rumen fluid inoculum.

Keywords : Faecal inoculum, IVGPT, IVOMD, Wild ungulates