A comparison of particle breakdown during chewing by guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and sheep

Abstract

To date, attempts to account for reported differences in digestive efficiency of camelids and ruminants have focused on factors such as stomach motility and the retention time of feed particles. The physical breakdown of forage into particles small enough to pass through the reticulo-omasal orifice is one of the major factors influencing the rate of passage of digesta from the reticulo-rumen in ruminants. Two of the main processes involved in particle size reduction are chewing (pre- and post-regurgitation) and microbial fermentation. While the characteristic vertical and horizontal jaw movement which occurs during mastication in the camelid is believed to allow for efficient use of the premolars and molars in cutting and grinding fibrous feeds, there have been no comparative studies to verify this, and to assess the contribution of chewing to differences in digestibility coefficients. The aim of this experiment was to directly compare particle breakdown during chewing by guanacos and sheep.