Consumption of Diets Based on Native Forages, Pumpkin and Corn by Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu)

Aims: The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the consumption of corn-based diets mixed with Brosimum alicastrum or pumpkin (Cucurbita sp) forage, on live weight, in the number of erythrocytes, leukocytes and serum urea nitrogen, in collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) in captivity.

Study Design: A four-treatment longitudinal comparative experiment with a repeated measures design was applied.

Place and Duration of Study: Xmatkuil Wildlife Conservation Management Unit, in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, for three months.

Methodology: Nine adult female collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) were subjected to voluntary consumption of the following diets: T1: Diet with 60% of corn and 40% dry B. alicastrum forage, T2: Diet with 40% corn and 60% dry B. alicastrum, T3: Diet with 60% corn and 40% fresh pumpkin on dry matter basis, T4: Diet with 40% corn and 60% fresh pumpkin, for 14 days for each treatment. The dry matter intake of each treatment, live weight, number of leukocytes, erythrocytes and serum urea nitrogen in each of the specimens were measured. Response variables in each treatment were compared with repeated measures ANOVA or Friedman's test if parametric analysis requirements were not met.

Results: There was no significant difference between live weights in each treatment (P=05) but there was a significant difference in dry matter intake between treatments. There was no significant difference in erythrocyte levels between treatments. There was no difference in leukocyte levels between treatments (P=0.05), but there was a difference in the means of urea nitrogen between treatments.

Conclusion: Pumpkin diets with corn show higher levels of dry matter intake, higher levels of urea Nitrogen and a greater number of erythrocytes than diets with corn and dry B: alicastrum, so it is suggested that diets with pumpkin and corn are more suitable than with corn and dry B. alicastrum.