Domestic Game Research Articles

Seasonal variation in water turnover by oryx and eland on the Galana Game Ranch Research Project

SummaryMeasurement of total body water and water turnover was based on the single injection dilution principal using tritiated water.Under a daylight grazing regime the water turnover varied from 24 to 98 ml/kg/day in oryx and 42 to 121 ml/kg/day in eland. This large seasonal variation was most highly correlated with heat load expressed as solar radiation or mean ambient temperature. Lack of correlation between water turnover and dry matter intake, and low correlation with dietary moisture may have been due to difficulties in measuring these parameters accurately.When preformed water was calculated by subtraction of drinking and metabolic water from total turnover, it was found to have a positive correlation with turnover rate and a negative correlation with water drunk. Thus high water turnover was not associated with high drinking requirements in either species.The relationship between climate, pasture and water turnover, could be upset by changes in the activity of the animal from the normal day grazing pattern.The results obtained from the domestic game animals were used to explain how wild oryx and eland could exploit a hot, semi‐arid environment without drinking. To achieve this, the wild animal must obtain most of its nutritional requirements between evening and morning, and its water requirements during the period of maximum relative humidity between midnight and dawn.

Game-ranching in africa as a source of meat for local consumption and export

Game animals are unlikely to compete directly with domestic animals as meat producers. The evidence so far has indicated that they are not as efficient in converting feed into liveweight and doubts remain concerning disease and their management in this and other respects. On the other hand, game-ranching could supplement other forms of meat production and even replace existing farming methods in arid regions. Certain species (eland, springbok) do feed on plants and shrubs not eaten by domestic stock and game give a higher yield of lean meat. Game should be regarded as complementary, not competitive and there is urgent need for more research with this approach as well as into the basic difficulties of marketing fresh meat in sophisticated markets.

Antibodies for Newcastle Disease Virus and Mycoplasma gallisepticum in Sera from Domestic Chickens and Game Fowl of Kenya

Studies by one of the authors (2) present serological evidence for infection with a member or members of the group A (1) sarcoma-leukosis viruses in Kenya which indicate that they maintain themselves as endemic infections under natural conditions in a variety of game fowl as well as chickens running free in local villages in remote areas of the African bush country. Representative sera of those collected were examined for the presence of antibodies to Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) and Mycoplcsma gallisepticum (MG), using the hemagglutination-inhibition test for NDV and the agglutination test for MG in order to establish the infection with these agents in the areas studied.

Blue Grouse Brood Cover Selection and Land-Use Implications

Over 700 observations of blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) broods were made in three areas of Montana from 1957 to 1962. These observations indicated that broods used areas with specific types of ground vegetation. Quantitative measurements of the characteristics of vegetation at 87 brood observation locations were obtained in 1960, 1961, and 1962. These measurements indicated that broods used herbaceous cover with relatively consistent physical characteristics of height, canopy coverage, and plant interspersion. The importance of adequate herbaceous brood cover, consisting mainly of native bunchgrasses and associated forbs, is significant, as the summer brood range of blue grouse often overlaps grazing areas of domestic stock and big game. The summer brood range of blue grouse often overlaps grazing lands in public and private forests of Montana. Knowledge of the ecology of blue grouse is essential for proper evaluation of the effects of grazing on blue grouse brood range. This paper reports some basic characteristics of the cover used by broods of blue grouse, noted during 6 years of banding studies in three areas of Montana. Table 1 lists the dates, locations of study, and respective number of brood observations. The occurrence of broods in grass-forb areas was noted in the Bridger Mountains (Mussehl 1960) and at subsequent study areas. Repeated observations indicated that broods were associated with specific types of ground vegetation. Beginning in 1960, I obtained quantitative descriptions of the vegetation on areas where broods were observed. The importance of upland game birds is expected to increase with the rising recreational demands in the West. Utilization of the native mountain grouse resource has improved in Montana only recently. Liberalized hunting regulations were accompanied by a sharp increase in the proportion of mountain grouse in the total harvest of upland game birds (Eng 1963, Mussehl 1963). An ORRRC (Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission) report (1962) predicts an increase in all forms of outdoor recreation, including hunting, and recommends increased attention to wildlife production on public lands of the West. I wish to express my appreciation to the following: R. L. Eng for technical supervision and aid in manuscript preparation; three faculty members of Montana State College-D. C. Quimby for manuscript review, J. Rumely for suggestions on measuring vegetation, and E. Booth for plant 'A contribution from Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project. W-91-R Montana.

Malathion Dust for the Control of Lice On Domestic Game Birds

Malathion Dust for the Control of Lice On Domestic Game Birds