Study of crude protein intake and growth response in captive subadult giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

Feeding trials were conducted on seven subadult giant pandas (1.5–4.7 years old). The giant pandas consumed diets with 20 various levels of crude protein (CP): 132.9, 186.8, 206.0, 233.1, 251.4, 255.2, 288.5, 290.8, 299.1, 334.6, 370.7, 378.7, 379.9, 399.2, 372.6, 411.4, 436.1, 484.4, 509.3, and 563.7 g/day. According to the differences in the body weight (BW) gain (weight/month (W/M)) and the amounts of ingested CP, subadult giant pandas are divided into at least three age groups: 1.5–2.0, 2.5–3.9, and 4.0–4.7 years. Although there apparently is no direct relationship between the ΔW/M and the CP consumed by all the giant pandas, a linear relationship existed between the square root of CP ingested (g) per unit BW (W0.75, Kg) and weight gain per month (ΔW/M, Kg/M) of giant pandas aged 1.5–2.0 years. No such relationship existed in the giant pandas aged 2.5–4.7 years, but ΔW/M decreased with the increasing CP per unit gross energy (GE) consumed (CP/GE). For the 1.5–2.0-year-old giant pandas, CP for maintenance was determined at 3.6576 g/Kg W0.75/day when ΔW/M was 0, and CP for growth was 1.7541 g/Kg W0.75/day when ΔW/M was equal to 1 Kg/M; thus, suitable intake of total CP is 9.95 g/Kg W0.75/day. The average value of ingested CP was 13.54 ± 3.01 g/KgW0.75/day for 2.5–3.9-year-old pandas, and 12.25 g/KgW0.75/day for 4.5–4.7-year-old pandas. Zoo Biol 21:223–232, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.