<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The aim of this study, conducted in November 2012, was to determine whether farming of common foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) leads to changes in nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention in comparison with their wild counterparts. Wild and farmed animals were compared within and between species. Each group consisted of five males and five females aged around eight months. Farmed silver foxes - a variety of the common red fox (group FSF) and farmed raccoon dogs (group FRD) were purchased from a breeding farm in southeastern Poland. Wild red foxes (group WRF) and wild raccoon dogs (group WRD) were trapped in the hunting grounds of the Polish Hunting Association (Olsztyn Division). The animals were placed in metabolism cages. The coefficients of nutrient and energy digestibility, and daily nitrogen balance and retention values were compared between groups. Farmed animals tended to have higher digestibility coefficients than their wild counterparts. No significant differences were noted within species. The coefficients of dry matter (P≤0.01), organic matter (P≤0.05, P≤0.05) and protein (only FSF vs. WRD - P≤0.05) digestibility were higher in foxes. Raccoon dogs were characterized by higher digestibility of carbohydrates - N-free extracts (P≤0.01). Nitrogen retention was higher in farmed animals. The highest and lowest levels of retained nitrogen were observed in groups FSF and WRD, respectively</p></abstract>

The aim of this study, conducted in November 2012, was to determine whether farming of common foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) leads to changes in nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention in comparison with their wild counterparts. Wild and farmed animals were compared within and between species. Each group consisted of five males and five females aged around eight months. Farmed silver foxes - a variety of the common red fox (group FSF) and farmed raccoon dogs (group FRD) were purchased from a breeding farm in southeastern Poland. Wild red foxes (group WRF) and wild raccoon dogs (group WRD) were trapped in the hunting grounds of the Polish Hunting Association (Olsztyn Division). The animals were placed in metabolism cages. The coefficients of nutrient and energy digestibility, and daily nitrogen balance and retention values were compared between groups. Farmed animals tended to have higher digestibility coefficients than their wild counterparts. No significant differences were noted within species. The coefficients of dry matter (P≤0.01), organic matter (P≤0.05, P≤0.05) and protein (only FSF vs. WRD - P≤0.05) digestibility were higher in foxes. Raccoon dogs were characterized by higher digestibility of carbohydrates - N-free extracts (P≤0.01). Nitrogen retention was higher in farmed animals. The highest and lowest levels of retained nitrogen were observed in groups FSF and WRD, respectively

Comparative Analysis of Nutrient Digestibility and Nitrogen Retention in Wild and Farmed Canids

Department of Fur-bearing Animal Breeding and Game Management, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland

Annals of Animal Science

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The aim of this study, conducted in November 2012, was to determine whether farming of common foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides)...

Comparative Analysis of Nutrient Digestibility and Nitrogen Retention in Wild and Farmed Canids

Published Online: Apr 25, 2014

Page range: 307 - 314

Received: Jun 05, 2013

Accepted: Aug 08, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2014-0002

Keywords
common fox, raccoon dog, feeding, digestibility, N retention

© by Andrzej Gugołek

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Comparative Analysis of Nutrient Digestibility and Nitrogen Retention in Wild and Farmed Canids

Published Online: Apr 25, 2014

Page range: 307 - 314

Received: Jun 05, 2013

Accepted: Aug 08, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2014-0002

Keywordscommon fox, raccoon dog, feeding, digestibility, N retention

© by Andrzej Gugołek

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
common fox, raccoon dog, feeding, digestibility, N retention