조사료원에 따른 꽃사슴(Servus nippon)의 채식습성에 관한 연구

The object of this experiment was to investigate the food habits of sika deer fed with various roughage sources. The experimental trials were conducted at Unbong Animal Genetic Resources Station in 2008. The experimental roughages include five sources and 25 species in all; grasses and legumes: 5 species (mixed grasses, orchardgrass, tall fescue, alfalfa, white clover), native grasses and weeds: 5 species (mixed native grasses, Miscanthus sinensis Anderss, Arundinella hirta (Thunb.) Tanaka, barnyard grass, short awn, forage crops (hay, silages and straw): 5 species (barley + hairy vetch, Wheat + hairy vetch, rye silage, barley silage, baled rice straw), browse and fallen leaves: 5 species (mixed browse, oriental white oak, Quercus serrta Thunb., oriental cherry fallen leaves, Japanese chestnut fallen leaves), and imported hays and straws: 5 species (timothy hay, tall fescue straw, annual ryegrass straw, klinegrass hay, alfalfa hay). Five sika deer were used as experimental animals and the averaged body weight was 95+5.4kg. The chemical composition and dry matter digestibility of each roughage source and species were significantly different at the sampling area, plant species, growth stages and cutting period(p<0.05). The sika deer ate more roughages which had low fibrous contents, but high dry matter digestibility. Among all the 25 species of roughages, the favorite intake roughage sources ranking by sika deer was observed like this: browse and fallen leaves (32.2%), grass and legumes (27.0%), native grasses and weeds (22.0%), imported hays (12.9%) and forages crops (5.5%) respectively. Although, the sika deer ate more browse leaves, but ate more roughage which had low fibrous contents (NDF and ADF), but high drymatter digestibility. On the other hand, compared to each roughage source, total intake amount by sika deer was showed as browse and fallen leaves (32.2%). Based on the result, the food habit of sika deer seems to be closer to the typical browser.