The nutritional quality of selected rowcrop and moist-soil seeds for Canada geese
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"Introduction: The nutritional quality of foods produced for waterfowl is an important consideration in wetland management programs. Understanding how nutrition affects waterfowl is essential in providing for their needs throughout the annual cycle. Because habitat and food use by Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in fall and winter appear to be related to availability of these resources (Austin 1988, Eggeman et al. In preparation), it is important that foods produced and made available for geese meet the energy and nutrient demands of the birds (Kendeigh et al. 1977, Williams and Kendeigh 1982, Joyner et al. 1987). If the only foods available for use by geese have poor nutritional quality, the immediate physiological condition and later reproductive performance of the birds could be adversely affected (Ankney and MacInnes 1978, Raveling 1979, Joyner et al. 1984). Likewise, rates of fat and protein deposition for migrating, egg-laying, incubation and molting are determined in part by the content and availability of energy and protein in foods (King 1972, Raveling 1979). Thus, effective management should attempt to provide the optimal combination of food types that meet the seasonal energy and nutrient requirements of target species. Management practices for migrating and wintering Canada geese focus on producing a mixture of agricultural and native foods (Vaught and Kirsch 1966, Arthur 1968, Fredrickson and Taylor 1982, Eggeman et al. In preparation). Geese feed on a combination of seeds, tubers and green vegetation that contribute the necessary nutrients and energy for maintenance and survival (Korschgen 1955, Kear 1966, Reed 1976, Bellrose 1980, Craven 1984a, b, Sedinger 1984, Sedinger and Raveling 1984, McKenzie 1987). Unfortunately, little is known about the nutrient and energy content of foods commonly consumed by Canada geese or how efficiently geese utilize the nutrients and energy in these foods (Burton et al. 1979, Thomas and Prevett 1980, Sedinger 1984, Sedinger and Raveling 1984, Buchsbaum et al. 1986, Joyner et al. 1987). Environmental conditions also influence the quality and availability of waterfowl foods. Because foods are often shallowly flooded to enhance attractiveness and availability for waterfowl, an understanding of how different foods are affected by these conditions will facilitate more timely manipulations to attract and hold waterfowl (Neely 1956, McGinn and Glasgow 1963, Shearer et al. 1969). Objectives: The objectives of this study were: 1) To determine energy and nutrient content of selected rowcrop and moist-soil seeds regularly consumed by wintering Canada geese in Missouri and to assess the variability in energy and nutrient content of seeds from four locations in northcentral, northeast and southeast Missouri. 2) To evaluate how efficiently Canada geese utilize the energy contained in selected seeds by means of true metabolizable energy determinations. 3) To assess the effects of flooding on energy content of seeds and the rate of seed deterioration."--Page 1.
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