Maintenance nitrogen requirements of the macropod marsupials Thylogale thetis, red-necked pademelon, and Macropus eugenii, Tammar wallaby

Abstract

The maintenance nitrogen (N) requirement of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, a specles adapted to semiarid habitats, was estimated to be 0.24 g per kg W*0.75 per day of dietary N, or 0.23 g per kg W*0.75 per day of truly digestible N. In contrast, the red-necked pademelon, Thylogale thetis, a wallaby restricted to subtropical rain forest, required 0.60 g per kg W*0.75 per day dietary N, or 0.53 g per kg W*0.75 per day of truly digestible N for mamtenance. Apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) was lower (P < 0.001) by the pademelons (59%) than by the tammars (72%), and DM intake was higher (39 versus 25 g per kg W*0.75 per day) (P < 0.001). Intake of free water was also greater (P < 0.001) by the pademelons than by the tammars (169 versus 107 ml per 100 g DM intake). It is concluded that the red-necked pademelon is not as 'rummant-like' in its digestive physiology and metabolism as macropod species from more and environments.