| Forest musk deer(Moschus berezovskii) breeding play an important role in the reconstruction of wild populations and sustainable utilization of musk. As the precious medicinal animal, protection and utilization of forest musk deer are related to a variety of interests. Forest musk deer artificial domestication and breeding were started since the late 1950s in China, and the breeding industry has attained remarkable achievements. However, there was lack of the intense research of food and nutrition of forest musk deer. The breeding bases provided livestock feed formulation or single natural plant, and there was no research about forest musk food choices and nutrition countermeasures. This study preliminary studied the food preference of captive forest musk deer, the secondary metabolites of food plants, the amino acid balance and the role of plant tannins in intestinal immunity for supply any theoretical direction and scientific supports on forest musk deer farming, habitat evaluation modification and the management. The main results are as follows:1. The sniffing frequency and duration of forest musk deer showed a decline in four months, and there were significant difference in the sniffing frequency and duration of different months (P<0.05). Leaf intake was positive significant correlated with feeding frequency and feeding duration (P<0.05). The feeding frequency and duration of different months showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Forest musk deer positively selected 6,7,4 and 6 plant species respectively in four months, and the rest were negative selection. M. baccata, C. orbiculatus and M. azedarach were negative selection.2. The basic nutritional value and mineral element of natural feeding plants were abundant. Leaf intake was positively correlated with crude protein and potassium content (P<0.01), negatively correlated with crude fiber content (P<0.01), but not significantly correlated with the contents of any other macro-or microelement contents (P>0.05).3. The plant secondary metabolites of different plant species showed significant difference in the same month (P<0.05), and the accumulation of plant secondary metabolites of different species showed some difference in various phenological phase. There were significant differences in the content of condensed tannins between the positive and negative selected plants in June (f<0.05). The intake of main feeding plants was positively correlated with the content of simple phenols and condensed tannins in July (P<0.05), and was positively correlated with the content of total phenols and tannins in August (P<.05).4. The contents of Ile, Thr and Val were close to the recommended essential amino acid, the contents of Leu and Tyr+Phe were relatively surplus, and that of Met+Cys and Lys were relatively inadequate. The aminl acid balance of S.chinensis is the best (63.22) and that of E.ulmoides is the worst (45.81), and the first limiting amino acid of E.ulmoides is Lys and that of other plants was Met+Cys.5.The plant tannins have obvious inhibitory effect on food intake of forest musk deer, and the foode intake of different tannins concentration showed significant differences (P<0.05).The SIgA contents of feeding and after feeding stage were higher than that of before feeding stage of Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ groups, and there was opposite result of Ⅳ group. And there were significant differences in the growth rate of SIgA of feeding and after feeding stage between different groups (P<0.05).On the basis of the results, we put forward the following suggestions about the artificial breeding and population recovery of forest musk deer. The positive selection of 4 months could be the best choice of provisioning and growing food plants. The potassium content in the artificial feed should be appropriately increased, and it can maintain the normal rumen fermentation and increase digestibility of feed. Forest musk deer should be provide the plants of contenting higher Met+Cys, and it’s necessary to improve the plants amino acid nutrition balance. The artificial forage should contain appropriate amount of plant secondary metabolites to meet the natural feeding characteristics and demand. |
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