FEEDING TYPE AND SEASONAL DIGESTIVE STRATEGY OF MONGOLIAN GAZELLES IN CHINA

Abstract

We measured seasonal variations of gut macrostructure of 36 Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa) collected in Xiqi, Inner Mongolia. Relative weight of ruminoreticular contents (9–14% of body weight) and relative length of the total intestine (15–18 times body length) were within the range of intermediate feeders. Proportional length of large intestine to total intestine (29–31%) falls within the range of browsers and suggests that distal digestion is important for small intermediate feeders. Total weight of gut with contents was 27–36% greater in winter than in spring because of the increase in contents of ruminoreticulum and large intestine, suggesting that both proximal and distal fermentation are more important in winter than in spring.