Supplementary feeding of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L) with late harvested hay. A pilot study
Authors: Rehbinder C. , Ciszuk P. 
Published: February 2013

<p>In order to increase the fodder available for roedeer during wintertime, late harvested hay was placed on racks early in November in three consecutive years. Freeezing kept the hay dry and fresh during all three winters. In the first winter, with much snow, the bulk of the hay was consumed whereas consumption in the two subsequent mild winters was low and selective. The crude protein content of the hay was low (3.5 - 8.4% dry matter). Metabolizable energy estimated from digestion in vitro was 3.5 &mdash; 5.6 MJ per kg dry matter. Rumen liquor from roe deer during a mild winter gave lower in vitro digestion than liquor from sheep fed with ordinary rations. The value of this poor hay for roe deer is discussed with respect to the animals requirements, seasonal adaption, the energy and protein content of the hay, water consumption and normal behavior. The results indicate that late harvested hay may be more suitable than regularly harvested hay or concentrates to help roe deer to survive spells of severe winter conditions. With late harvested hay placed out at several localized feeding sites, the risks of indigestion and dehydration, associated with a more concentrated, feed, are minimized and the ranking among the roe deer in particular will be less important and thus more animals will have improved prospects of gaining access to the fodder.</p><p>Tilskottsutfodring av r&aring;djur (Capreolus capreolus L) med sent skordat ho. En pilotstudie.</p><p>Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfattning: I avsikt att, for r&aring;djur, oka m&aring;ngden tillg&aring;ngligt foder under vintertid, skordades och h&aring;ssjades ho i borjan av november under tre p&aring; varandra foljande &aring;r. Hoet fros torn och holl sig f&aring;rskt alla vintrarna. Forst&aring; vintern med mycket sno konsumerades huvuddelen av hoet medan de tv&aring; foljande milda vintrarna konsumptionen var l&aring;g och selektiv. M&aring;ngden r&aring;protein i hoet var l&aring;gt (3.5 &mdash; 8.4 % i torrsubstans). Inneh&aring;llet av oms&aring;ttbar energi ber&aring;knad fr&aring;n digestion in vitro var 3.5 &mdash; 5.6 MJ per kg torrsubstans. V&aring;mv&aring;tska fr&aring;n r&aring;djur under en mild vinter gav lagra in vitro digestion &aring;n v&aring;mv&aring;tska fr&aring;n ordin&aring;rt utfodrade f&aring;r. V&aring;rdet av det mycket sent skordade hoet for r&aring;djur diskuteras med utg&aring;ngspunkt fr&aring;n djurens behov, s&aring;songm&aring;ssiga adaption, energi- och proteininneh&aring;ll i hoet, vattenkonsumtion och normala beteende. Resultat&eacute;n pekar p&aring; att, sent skordat ho kan vara l&aring;mpligare &aring;n p&aring; normal tid skordat ho eller kraftfoder att hj&aring;lpa r&aring;djur att overleva perioder med sv&aring;ra vinterforh&aring;llanden. Med sent skordat och h&aring;ssjat ho, vilket gjorts tillg&aring;ngligt p&aring; ett flertal utfodringsplatser, minskar riskerna for v&aring;mindigestion och dehydrering, forenade med en mer hogv&aring;rdig utfodring, samtidigt som djurens inbordes rangordning blir mindre betydelsefull. Det senare innebarande att fler djur f&aring;r tillg&aring;ng till fodret.</p>