Journal

Dietary

Vitamin

Female

Giant

S. A. Malnka,’ Alberta, Canada

and Mineral Pandas

Li Mao, T2M

and Zhao

Concentrations

(Ailuropoda Guanlu,2 Zoo,

4R8; 2Chongqing

0.82%

Ca,

0.62%

P,

1.05%

K,

work

at the

Juvenile

‘Veterinary Services, Calgary Zoo, P.O. Box 3036, Station B, Calgary, Sichuan Province, Chongqing, China

14.3

at least

48

imum

aurea) spathaceus)

Ca,

Cu,

and K,

The culm,

umbrella

P and

for

was

divided

T-TOC

concentrations

assayed

according (Honwitz, (minerals)

ada T6H concentration

4P2).

(Tdivided

shoot

(P. aurea

bamboo pith

for

in food

of Official

(AOAC)

beta-

culm analysis.

items were subjected Minerals, B-CAR and to

sorption

levels

as

were

and and

Samples of other diet to the same analyses.

Wolong

well

plants

bark

(Farfor

tocopherol

Umbrella

into

Association

as

total

leaf

analysis.

bamboo

Zn

bamboo

(mm(Phyllos-

analyzed

and

branch,

only)

Samples bamboo

were

(3-CAH)

TOC). into

post-cutting.

g) of golden

tachys

carotene

mg/kg

hr

100

gesia of

Cu, 31.8 mg/kg Zn, 12.2 mg/kg beta-carotene, and 12 mg/kg total tocopherol. Serum values for these vitamins and minerals were within reported normal limits for the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus). This diet appeared to provide adequate nutrition for maintenance and growth. Key words: Giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, nutrition, minerals, vitamins, diets. Recent

of Two

27(3), 1991, pp. 509-512 Disease Association 1991

Diseases, © Wildlife

melanoleuca)

ABSTRACT: During a 7 mo exhibit loan, diets of two juvenile female giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were monitored. Mineral [calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn)] and vitamin (beta-carotene and total tocophero!) concentrations in the diet were quantified as well as in a serum sample obtained from one of these animals. Diets consumed by the pandas contained (dry matter ba-

sis):

of Wildlife

the

items

methods

Analytical 1975) and

the

Chemists

via high

were of

atomic

ab-

performance

Natural Reliquid chromatography (fl-CAR, T-TOC) of China; 30#{176}45’ A single venous blood sample from the 103#{176}24’E) correlatolden panda was collected during anaesof hair and diet thesia with ketamine/isoflurane. Retinol has shown higher mineral bevels in wild (RET) and alpha-tocophenol (ct-TOC) 1evpandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) (n = els in serum were determined at the An115) compared to captive pandas (n = 21). imal Health Center, New York Zoological In particular, levels of calcium (Ca), copSociety (Bronx, New York 10460, USA) per (Cu), iron, magnesium, manganese, using HPLC (Hatam and Kayden, 1979). potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) were studied Serum biochemistry and electrolyte values (Wen et a!., 1988). Also, a correlation bewere determined (Central Lab for Vettween trace element concentration of food erinarians, Langley, British Columbia, items and captive panda hair was seen. Canada V3A 1H9) and serum Cu and Zn During a recent short-term exhibit loan, determinations were done using atomic two female giant pandas were the subjects absorption spectrophotometry (Alberta of a digestive efficiency study (Mainka et Agriculture Lab, Edmonton, Alberta, Canal., 1989). They were fed a diet of bamboo, serve (People’s Republic to 31#{176}25’N, 102#{176}52’to ing the mineral content

gruel, apples and sugar cane. In addition, each panda received supplements of d-alpha-tocopherol acetate (the 2.5-yr-old received 125 mg, the 4.5-yr-old mg) and vitamin A in cod 2.5-yr-old received old received 10,000 each day. Diego and

Bamboo was not

received liven oil

tained neering

250 (the

T2G

Mineral

IU; the 4.5-yrIU) added to the gruel was shipped from received at the zoo

from the Department

Canada

5,000

the

San until 509

Information of drinking

dietary basis

leaves

had

of Calgary (Calgary,

mineral was obEngiAlberta,

2M3). and

(DM)

City

on the water

vitamin

concentration

ingredients are

shown

higher

on

a dry

in Table levels

of

of matter

1. Bamboo 13-CAR

and

510

1.

TABLE

Diet

DISEASES,

OF WILDLIFE

JOURNAL

Mineral

and

vitamin

item

Grueld Apple

VOL. 27, NO. 3, JULY

content

(DM

basis)

Ca’

P

Cu’

(%)

(%)

(mg/kg)

1991

in various

food

items

in the

K’ (%)

1.63

1.03

1.5

0.52

0.05

2.6

0.72

2.3

0.08

0.02

20.0

0.63

Culm

0.14

0.20

15.0

Branch

0.17

0.33

18.0

Leaf

0.73

0.31

Shoots

0.27

0.44

cane

Golden

of two

giant

pandas.

$CARb (mg/kg)

Zn’ (mg/kg)

0.05

Sugar

diet

37.0

T-TOC” (mg/kg)

16.4

17.8

-

-

10.0

1.93

6.96

1.10

24.0

3.31

1.0

50.0

7.77

13.0

1.0

24.0

35.0

2.33

45.0

bamboo

Umbrella

8.26 11.71

32.2

17.2

-

-

bamboo

Culm

bark

0.23

0.13

18.0

0.29

23.0

8.07

Culm

pith

0.25

0.27

17.0

0.78

21.0

5.54

4.9

0.29 0.47

0.42 0.47

20.0 20.0

90.0 55.5

7.75 66.2

4.43 22.2

Trace

Trace

0.91 1.20 Trace

Branch Leaf Drinking

water

Crossfield Norwest

Laboratories, Crossfield, Labs, Edmonton, Alberta.

City of Calgary, Engineering. Without cod liver oil, vitamin

T-TOC

compared

leaves

of both

contained or apples.

-

Alberta.

to

other

diet

items;

species

had

higher

levels compared Sugar cane and

quirements “(dog)

to other bamboo

in gruel than in other diet Ca:P ratio for the bamboo

items. plant

The was

of

a

in Table Additionally

monogastnic

carnivore

2. ,

serum

concentrations

these nutrients (n = 1 animal) in Table 2 and compared with ported for another herbivorous

10 x the Cu levels seen in gruel Levels of Ca and P were higher

although the ratio > 1 were bark. Potassium

-

-

E supplement.

bamboo

Ca and vitamin parts of the plant.



t.-

II

CO

(Table 2) (National Research Council, 1985). However, it should be noted that this panda data represents total intake

I-:

000

E. fi

whereas

-

-v -.

fi

C)QOcO LO CC 0) 000

.2

0) C)

ci -a

C)

reported

-

.ss, . SQ

NRC

-

-85

: 3

B,,)

CS

CS

CS

CS

are

based

CS

levels

species mg/kg

in native ... ‘5

I..CS

toxicity

ruminant swine-250

-.

CS

data

on

“available

nutrients.” Intake of Cu in this study (14.3 mg/kg) may have been greater than intake by freeranging pandas but was still well below

-

Eu

intake levels of vitamins were intake was low

panda

source

was

found

average 1985)

levels which

for

Cu

in other

non-

rats 1978).

and Also,

including (Rechcigl, habitat to

the

contain

of minerals may have

main

water

higher

than

(Schaller increased

et al., daily

CSfl ‘S

0v a Ci

,.,

,

a

ci

Sc

‘

Cr2

mineral supply levels

CS

a

CS

cr2

likely etary

of

intake by in Calgary

wild pandas. contained

measured

minerals

not contribute intake.

The water negligible and

substantially

would to

di-

,

Although normal

no information values

of vitamins

is available and

minerals

on in

512

JOURNAL

OF WILDLIFE

DISEASES,

VOL. 27, NO. 3, JULY

1991

the blood of giant pandas, the vitamin values which were seen in this study are similan to levels detected in another herbiv-

Utilization

onous (Table

First

bear species, 2) (Dienenfeld,

the

spectacled 1988). Serum

nal

actually ing the

HORWITZ,

weight durpanda gained

25 kg and the olden animal gained 12 kg (Mainka et a!., 1989). It would appear the supplied diet was adequate for maintenance and growth requirements. This

report

concerns

results

seen

of only sample.

two pandas and only More research needs

ducted minerals

to determine and fat soluble

the

the importance of vitamins in panda

Calgary Zoological Society Fund provided funding

project.

The

authors

thank

renfeld for reviewing or to submission.

Dr.

Conserfor this

Ellen

this manuscript

E.

DIERENFELD,

P.

J.

VAN

S.,

SOEST,

H.

CITED

F.

HINTZ,

AND

0.

bear.

in feeding

on the

H. J. KAYDEN. liquid chromatographic

1979.

AND

of

A high

method

tocopherol

in

Association

12th

ed.

Chemists,

of

Association

for

plasma

Washington,

Official of D.C.,

20:

and

Analytical Official

Ana-

1 150

pp.

39-44.

RESEARCH COUNCIL. 1985. Nutrient requirements of dogs. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., 79 pp.

M.

RECHCIGL,

1978.

and food Press, West SCHALLER,

pandas Chicago, WEN,

Handbook

series

in

nutrition

E: Nutritional disorders. Palm Beach, Florida, 518 pp. G., J. HU, AND W. PAN. 1985. The of Wolong. University of Chicago

CRC

section

Illinois,

298

giant

Press,

pp.

Q. FU, J. WANG, H. PEN, AND J. HUANG. 1988. A study of the trace element content of the hair of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuY. T.,

Abstracts

of the

Beijing,

Symposium

People’s

of Asian-Pacific

Republic

10 pp.

B. ROBERTSON, 1982.

Spectacled

NATIONAL

na,

OFTEDAL.

of the

Proceedings

Symposium

of the

Mammalogy.

J. T.

considerations

spectacled

S. A., G. ZHAO, AND M. LI. 1989. Utilization of a bamboo, sugar cane and gruel diet by two juvenile giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine

ca). UTERATURE

Jour-

MAINKA,

Diepri-

panda.

114-130.

Chemists,

nutrition. The vation

giant

elements of the blood. Journal of Lipid 20: 639-645. W. (editor). 1975. Official methods of

analysis lytical

the 636-641.

Nutritional

determination

cellular Research

in diets

one serum to be con-

pp.

by

112(4):

International

L. J., performance

HATAM,

and/or gained The younger

captive

Bear.

and RET levels were higher in pandas while serum A-TOC levels were lower. During the course of the loan, the animals appeared to be in good condition and grew visit.

1988.

.

the

bear Cu

of bamboo

of Nutrition

Received

for

publication

30 April

1990.

of Chi-