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Digestibility of Forages by the Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus)

Animal Husbandry Research Division, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

ABSTRACT

Meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) were fed semipurified diets of alfalfa, brome grass, and orchardgrass hays in concentrations between 20 and 100%. The hays were the only source of cell walls in the diet. Dry matter digestibility decreased as the cell wall content in the diets increased. Cell walls and cellulose increased in digestibility as cell wall in the diets increased. Hemicellulose digestibility in the diets followed a curvilinear pattern. Hemicellulose decreased in digestibility as the cell wall content of the diets increased to approximately 28% and then digestibility of hemicellulose increased. Most voles survived on diets with up to 50% cell walls but died on diets with more than 55% cell wall contents. The vole digestibility results were compared with digestibilities from sheep, swine, horses and rats fed hay of similar composition.

¹ Present address: Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850.