title: Experimental reduction of food quality is not compensated with increased food intake in high-Arctic muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus).
abstract: A total of four barren adult female muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were used over a period of 2 years for the purpose of the present study. During the first year, the natural changes in appetite (ad libitum intake of standard pelleted reindeer feed) and body mass were determined in two of the animals. During the second year, the effect of reduced food quality on ad libitum food intake was tested in all four animals in July when the appetite had been found to be at a high. We found that the experimentally reduced food quality was not compensated with increased food intake in these large high-Arctic herbivores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Arctic Biology, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway. asb000@uit.no
authors.forename: Arnoldus Schytte
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Blix
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ness
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Terry V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Callaghan
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D060434:Herbivory; D017440:Photoperiod; D012418:Ruminants; D012621:Seasons