Search the Article Database:

Search our library of articles, papers and other published materials. You can use keywords or boolean-style search:

Energy and Fibre Intake in a Group of Captive Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) Offered Increasing Amounts of Browse

We investigated the effect of diet on intake of energy and fibre in a group of three captive adult giraffe by weighing offered diet items and leftovers for 7 days after an adaptation period of 7 days. Digestion coefficients were calculated using, as internal marker, the acid detergent lignin content of a faecal sample pooled from subsamples taken during the last 5 days of intake measurement. Two lucerne hay-only diets of differing quality (L1, L2) were fed, as well as

View Details + Download

Feeding practices for captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in Europe: a survey in EEP zoos

As with other browsing ruminants, the nutrition of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) can be challenging. Feeding browse in very large amounts is not feasible. Therefore, substitutes need to be provided that have to meet requirements and the species’ digestive capacity to the greatest possible extent. To achieve a comprehensive overview of current giraffe feeding practice in Europe, a survey was conducted among 153 member zoos of the European Endangered Species Programme. Information from 81 returned questionnaires showed a considerable variety of

View Details + Download

Chemical composition and fermentation characteristics of feedstuffs for giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in German zoos

The aim of the study was to evaluate the nutritive value of feedstuffs for giraffes in zoos. In total, 196 samples of six categories of forage (n = 111) and eight categories of non-forage feedstuffs (n = 85) were analysed for chemical composition and in vitro gas production (GP). Lucerne hay as main forage source showed a stable average quality (mean ± standard deviation: crude protein 179 ± 19 g · kg–1 dry matter (DM); metabolizable energy 8.9 ± 0.6 MJ · kg–1 DM)

View Details + Download

Seasonal and post-freezing variation of crude protein content and digestibility of willow and cottonwood leaves in regard to giraffe nutrition

The nutrient content of giraffe diets has not been well established. Many diets are lacking or have excessive amounts of protein, and protein is a good indicator of overall nutrient content. Hay and alfalfa are not ideal food items, and browse or leaves are the natural food choice for wild giraffe. In climates that experience seasons, browse is not always readily available, and must be frozen to be fed over the winter months. It was not known if freezing had

View Details + Download

Advances in Giraffe Nutrition

In the last decade, numerous publications have been written with regard to the nutrition of giraffe and other ruminant browsers maintained in zoological institutions, inspired by several health problems suspected to have a nutritional origin. Thus, reports of rumen acidosis, chronic wasting, peracute mortality syndrome, energy malnutrition, hoof disease, inverse serum calcium and phosphorus levels, mortality caused by cold stress, overall poor body condition, urolithiasis, serous fat atrophy, chronic energy deficiency, dental disease, and pancreatic disease, among others, have been

View Details + Download

Condensed tannin as anti-defoliate agent against browsing by giraffe (Girafla camelopardalis) in the Kruger National Park

The feeding behaviour of giraffes in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, was observed over 12 months and the diet analysed for condensed tannin content. Supportive evidence was found for plant defence against excessive browsing by means of tannin biosynthesis. Condensed tannin negatively influenced acceptability and nutritional value of dietary browse to giraffes. The giraffes avoided high condensed tannin levels. Tannin content of dietary foliage increased due to browse disturbance. Tannin levels fluctuated daily within the canopy of individual plants

View Details + Download

Assessment of the woody vegetation of Ol Choro Oiroua, Masai Mara, Kenya

The woody vegetation of the Ol Choro Oiroua Wildlife Management and Conservation area was surveyed. The species present, their size and the vertical distribution of their canopy were recorded. These parameters were then used to determine the percentage cover of woody vegetation at different heights, and the potential productivity of the trees and shrubs in terms of the available browse material. The survey data were converted to Browse tree Equivalents, Leaf Dry Mass and a Canopy Sub-habitat Index, using the

View Details + Download

Tooth wear in captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis): Mesowear analysis classifies free-ranging specimens as browsers but captive ones as grazers

Captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) mostly do not attain the longevity possible for this species and frequently have problems associated with low energy intake and fat storage mobilization. Abnormal tooth wear has been among the causes suggested as an underlying problem. This study utilizes a tooth wear scoring method (“mesowear”) primarily used in paleobiology. This scoring method was applied to museum specimens of free-ranging ( n=20) and captive (n=41) giraffes. The scoring system allows for the differentiation between attrition- (typical for

View Details + Download

The behaviour of giraffe giraffa camelopardalis in the eastern transvaal

The giraffe in South Africa live entirely in the Eastern Transvaal, a lowveld region primarily of grass or veld with scattered bushes and low trees. The giraffe browse on a wide variety of trees in the spring and fall when few leaves are available, but in summer when all the trees are in foliage they are much more selective. The giraffe spend most of the day and part of the night feeding, especially the early morning and late afternoon. In

View Details + Download
© All articles are copyrighted to the original authors/publishers unless otherwise stated. Any PDF files provided by the GRC are for personal use only and may not be reproduced. The files reflect the holdings of the GRC library and only contain pages relevant to giraffe study, and may not be complete. Users are obliged to follow all copyright restrictions.

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy