Abstract
Seasonal trends in voluntarily food intake and body weights of groupfed sika deer(Cervus nippon)were monitored from July 1993 to July 1994 in Nogeyama Zoological Gardens, Yokohama, Japan. In this study, 2 adult(over 2 years old)males, 3 adult females, 1 young(1〜2 years old)males, 2 young females, 4 fawns(0〜1 years old)and 5 new born(May to June 1994)fawns were used. During the mating season from September through November, body weights of adult specimens and young males decreased, but these of young females and fawns continuously increased. During winter season from December through March, there was very little change in body weights of all specimens. From April through July, body weight of specimens increased, but these of adult and young females decreased about 6 kg after giving birth. The monthly average dry matter(DM) intake per metabolic body weight of the group decreased for a time in September. Great change in DM intake was not observed during winter, however, DM intake increased markedly from April. Digestive energy(DE) intake per metabolic body weight was much the same as the changes in DM intake. From this, DE intake for maintenance was estimated in approximately 196 kcal per metabolic body weight of the group.
