Effects of Rhus lancea and Celtis africana on short-term intake rate, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites and rumen bacteria in Nguni goats as a model for feeding captive wildlife herbivores in zoological gardens

Abstract

The study assessed Rhus lancea and Celtis africana as browse species for concentrate selectors in captivity, using indigenous Nguni male goats as a model. The first experiment involved ten indigenous Nguni male goats, each weighing 16 ± 1.7 kg (mean ± SD) in the wet season and 15 ± 1.6 kg (mean ± SD) in the dry season. To assess the short-term intake rate of the browse by the goats, a cafeteria method was employed. Rhus lancea (RL) and Celtis africana (CA) branches were offered separately and in combination in a 1:1 ratio. The goats’ preferences were R. lancea > RL:CA > C. africana in the wet and dry seasons. In the second experiment, apparent total tract digestibility was estimated using twenty mature male Nguni goats weighing 16 ± 1.7 kg (mean ± SD) in a 2 x 4 (season x diet) randomized factorial experiment. All goats received Eragrostis curvula hay as a basal diet and one of four supplementary forages, namely, i) R. lancea, ii) C. africana, iii) a combination of the two browse species in a ratio 1:1 (RL:CA), and iv) a control diet made up of Medicago sativa, butternut squash, apples, spinach, and concentrates. Goats on R. lancea, C. africana, and RL:CA diets had higher crude protein digestibility (p <0.05) in the wet season than in the dry season. In the third experiment, twenty indigenous male Nguni goats were individually housed and fed either C. africana or R. lancea browse diets to evaluate the impact on the rumen bacteria composition during both dry and wet seasons in a randomized block design study. The goats had an average weight of 15 ± 1.6 kg (mean ± SD). The results showed an abundance of phyla Bacteroidetes over Firmicutes (F/B) (0.85:1) ratio (p <0.05) in the dry season than in the wet season. In the fourth experiment, feed intake, live weight changes, urinalysis, and blood metabolites were compared over 30 days in twenty goats weighing 15 ± 1.6 kg (mean ± SD). There were season and diet interactions (p <0.05) on final weight, average daily gain, and dry matter intake. The goats on the control diet had higher serum glucose levels (p <0.05) than those on R. lancea, C. africana, and RL:CA during the dry season. The results suggested R. lancea, C. africana, and RL:CA can help meet the nutrient requirements and support the growth of goats, which was supported by serum metabolite profiles and rumen bacterial efficiency during both dry and wet seasons. However, to achieve optimal growth and ensure balanced serum, and rumen bacterial efficiency throughout the year, it is recommended to supplement with other dietary items.

Dinyakišišo di lekodišišitše Rhus lancea le Celtis africana bjalo ka mehuta ya diphoofolo tša go fula matlakala a mehlare go tšeo di kgethago phulo di lotilwe, ka go šomiša dipudi tša pholo tša Nguni bjalo ka mohlala. Tekolo ya mathomo e akareditše dipudi tša dipholo tša Nguni tše 10, fao ye nngwe le ye nngwe e bego e na le boima bja 16 ± 1.7 kg (ka bonyane ± SD) ka go sehla sa dipula le tša 15 ± 1.6 kg (ka bonyane ± SD) ka go sehla sa komelelo. Go sekaseka kelo ya phulo ya lebaka le lekopana ya go fula ga matlakala ga dipudi, mokgwa wa khafetheria o šomišitšwe. Dithabe tša Rhus lancea (RL) le tša Celtis africana (CA) di filwe dipudi ka go arogana le ka go kopanywa ka kelo ya 1:1. Dipudi di ratile R. lancea > RL:CA > C. africana ka go dihla tša pula le tša komelelo, ka go latelana. Ka go teko ya bobedi, go ile gwa akanywa kgonagalo ya palomoka ya tshepedišo ya tšhilego ka go šomiša dipudi tše 20 tša dipholo tša Nguni tša boima bja 16 ± 1.7 kg (ka bonyane ± SD) ka go tekanyo ya 2 x 4 (sehla x dijo) ya tekolo ya dintlha ya sewelo. Dipudi ka moka di hweditše furu ya Eragrostis curvula bjalo ka dijo tša motheo le e tee ya difuru tše nne tša tlaleletšo, e lego, i) R. lancea, ii) C. africana, iii) motswako wa mehuta ye mebedi ya go fulwa ka kelo ya 1:1 (RL:CA), le iv) dijo tše laotšwego tše di bopilwego ke Medicago sativa, sekwaše sa pathanate, diapole, sepeniše, le metswoko. Dipudi tše di bego di eja dijo tša R. lancea, C. africana, le RL:CA di bile le khurute ya godimo ya tšhilego ya diphrotheine (p <0.05) ka go sehla sa dipula go feta ka go sehla sa komelelo. Ka go teko ya boraro, dipudi tša setlogo tše 20 tša Nguni di ile tša hlahlelwa di nnoši tša fiwa dijo tša go fulwa tša C. africana goba R. lancea go sekaseka seabe sa sebopego sa dipaktheria tša diphoofolo tša megodu ka nakong ya dihla tša komelelo le tša dipula ka go dinyakišišo tša tlhamo ya sewelo ya lekala. Dipudi di bile le palogare ya boima bja 15 ± 1.6 kg (ka bonyane ± SD). Dipoelo di laeditše bontši bja phyla Bacteroidetes godimo ga Firmicutes (F/B) (0.85:1) kelo (p <0.05) ka go sehla sa komelelo go feta ka go sehla sa dipula. Ka go teko ya bone, go ja dijo, diphetogo tša boima bja go phela, tshekatsheko ya moroto, le tlhamego ya madi di ile tša bapetšwa mo matšatšing a 30 ka go dipudi tše 20 tša dipholo tša Nguni tša boima bja 15 ± 1.6 kg (ka bonyane ± SD). Go bile le ditsenogare ka go dihla le ka go dijo (p <0.05) go boima bja mafelelo, go nona ga kakaretšo ya letšatši ka letšatši, le go ja dijo tše omilego. Dipudi tše di bego di le go dijo tše di laotšwego di bile le maemo a godimo a tlelukhose ya seramo (p <0.05) go feta dijo tša R. lancea, C. africana, le tša RL:CA ka nakong ya sehla sa komelelo. Dipoelo di šišintše gore R. lancea, C. africana, le RL:CA di ka thuša go fihlelela dinyakwa tša phepo le go thuša ka kgolo ya dipudi, e lego seo se thekgilwego ke diphrofaele tša tlhamego ya seramo le go šoma gabotse dipaketheria tša diphoofolo tša megodu ka go dihla tša komelelo le tša dipula ka bobedi. Le ge go le bjale, go fihlelela kgolo ye kgolo le go netefatša gore go ba le seramo ye e lekanetšego le go šoma gabotse ga dipaktheria tša diphoofolo tša megodu ngwaga ka moka, go šišinywa gore go tlaleletšwe ka dijo tše dingwe.

Lolu cwaningo beluhlola ukusebenza koMhlakotshane/iFolishi (iRhus lancea and Celtic africana) njengezimila zokondla izilwane ezivalelwe ndawonye, kusetshenziswa izimbuzi ezingamaduna ezingamaNguni. Ucwaningo lokuqala lwenziwe ngezimbuzi ezingamaduna eziyishumi ezingamaNguni, imbuzi ngayinye inesisindo esingu-16 ± 1.7 kg (okusho ± SD) ngesikhathi semvula kanti zingu-15 ± 1.6 kg (okusho ± SD) ngesikhathi sesomiso. Ukuze kuhlolwe ukudla isikhathi esifushane kwezimbuzi zinqampuna amahlamvu, kusetshenziswe uhlelo lokudla ndawonye. Izimbuzi ziye zaphakelwa amahlamvu eRhus lancea (RL) naweCeltis africana (CA) ngokuhlukana zaphinda zanikezwa wona esehlanganisiwe esilinganisweni sika-1:1. Lapha kuvele ukuthi imbuzi ithanda iR. lancea > RL:CA > C. africana ngesikhathi sezimvula kanye nangesesomiso. Ocwaningweni lwesibili, bekubhekwa ukugayeka kokudla ngesilinganiso sezimbuzi ezingamaduna esezikhulile ezingamashumi amabili zamaNguni ezinesisindo esingu-16 ± 1.7 kg (okusho ± SD) ngokuka-2 x 4 (isikhathi sonyaka x indlela yokudla) ukuhlola ngokuxuba izimo. Zonke izimbuzi ziphakelwe umsingizane njengokudla okuyisisekelo kanye nefolishi elilodwa, kulawa amane, i) iR. lancea , ii) iC. africana , iii) inhlanganisela yamafolishi amabili ngokwesilinganiso sika-1:1 (RL:CA), kanye iv) nokuphaka ngokulawula iMedicago sativa, izintanga zamathanga, ama-aphula, isipinashi, nezingxube. Izimbuzi ezidle iR . lancea , iC. africana, neRL:CA zinamandla kakhulu okugaya amaphrotheni aluhlaza (p <0.05) ngesikhathi sezimvula uma kuqhathaniswa nesikhathi sesomiso. Ucwaningo lwesithathu, kuye kwavalelwa izimbuzi ezingamashumi amabili ezingamaduna ezingamaNguni zahlaliswa ngayinye zase ziphakelwa iC. africana noma iR. lancea ukuze kuhlolwe umthelela ekwakhekeni kwamagciwane erumen ngesikhathi sezimvula nesesomiso ngokokuhleleka kocwaningo. Izimbuzi bezinesilinganiso sesisindo sika-15 ± 1.6 kg (okusho ± SD). Imiphumela ikhombise inala yephyla Bacteroidetes ngaphezu kweFirmicutes (F/B) (0.85:1) isilinganiso (p <0.05) ngesikhathi sesomiso uma kuqhathaniswa nesikhathi semvula. Ucwaningo lwesine, kuye kwaqhathaniswa ukudla okudliwayo, ukushintsha kwesisindo, ukuhlaziya umchamo, kanye nokusebenza kwegazi ezinsukwini ezingama-30 ezimbuzini zamaNguni ezingamaduna ezingamashumi amabili ezinesisindo esingu-15 ± 1.6 kg (okusho ± SD). Lapha kube nokusebenzisana phakathi kwendlela yokudla nesikhathi sonyaka (p <0.05) esisindweni sokugcina, umthamo odliwa ngosuku, kanye nokudla ngesikhathi sesomiso. Izimbuzi ezidla ngokulawulwa zinoshukela (iserum) ophezulu (p <0.05) kunalezo ezidla iR. lancea, iC. africana, kanye neRL:CA ngesikhathi sesomiso. Imiphumela iphakamisa ukuthi iR. lancea, iC. africana, kanye neRL:CA kungasiza ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zomsoco futhi kulekelele ekukhuleni kwezimbuzi, okwasekelwa nangamaphrofayili eserum metabolite kanye namagciwane erumen ikakhulu ngesikhathi sesomiso nesezimvula. Kodwa-ke, ukuze izimbuzi zikhule kahle futhi kuqinisekiswe neserum elinganayo, kanjalo namagciwane erumen akahle unyaka wonke, kunconywa ukuthi izimbuzi zinikezwe nezinye izinhlobo zokudla.