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ArticleVeterinary research communications2025

Diet composition and apparent digestibility in giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) kept under human care.

Thaís Moreira Gentini, Fernanda Mara Macedo Aragão Pereira, Lucas Batista da Silva, Maria Fernanda Hussni, Danyele Karoline Avante Mangueira, Carolyne Assis Eigerheer Pinke Testa, Caroline de Cássia Gallo, Lucas Carneiro, Paulo Roberto de Lima Meirelles, Priscylla Tatiana Chalfun Guimarães Okamoto and 2 more

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Article in Veterinary research communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Thaís Moreira GentiniDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. thais.gentini@unesp.br.
Fernanda Mara Macedo Aragão PereiraDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Lucas Batista da SilvaDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Maria Fernanda HussniDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Danyele Karoline Avante MangueiraDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Carolyne Assis Eigerheer Pinke TestaBauru Zoo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Caroline de Cássia GalloDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Lucas CarneiroSão Paulo Zoo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Paulo Roberto de Lima MeirellesDepartment of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Priscylla Tatiana Chalfun Guimarães OkamotoDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
Ellen Sue DierenfieldZootrition Animal Nutrition Consulting, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
Alessandra MelchertDepartment of Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8680-2121

Funding

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Giant anteaters have limited biological knowledge and pose challenges in captivity, primarily due to their highly specialized feeding habits. This study aimed to evaluate the diet and its apparent digestibility in captive giant anteaters, seeking to understand the relationship between the offered diet and its utilization by animals under human care at institutions and zoos in the state of São Paulo. Seventeen adult giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), comprising 10 females and 7 males, were used to determine the nutritional composition of their diet, collect feces for bromatological analysis, and assess diet digestibility. The chemical composition of the offered foods and feces was evaluated, and the apparent digestibility of the diet was calculated. Analysis of the diets revealed that their nutritional composition did not differ significantly among institutions, despite variations in ingredient composition. The protein and lipid contents of the diets were as follows: 25.6% and 6.4% (diet 1), 34.7% and 10.9% (diet 2), 31.9% and 10.3% (diet 3), and 38.2% and 12.7% (diet 4), respectively. Ether extract (EE) had the highest apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) (general mean 91 ± 4.8). The mean ADC was 68.9, 67.6, 79.6, and 89.9 for crude protein (CP); 89.8, 88.8, 92.5, and 94.2 for EE; 44.8, 64, 71.1, and 95.3 for nitrogen-free extract; and 80.5, 43.5, 43, and 87.1 for crude fiber, for diets 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. It is concluded that diets at São Paulo institutions showed good digestibility, especially for crude protein and ether extract. However, most animals had soft feces, indicating room for improvement. Energy intake affected body condition, emphasizing the need for tailored diets. Ether extract should not exceed 10%, and diets should provide 75-100% of maintenance energy, with regular monitoring of body condition scores.

Indexed as

Animal FeedDietDigestionXenarthraAnimal Nutritional Physiological PhenomenaAnimalsAnimals, ZooBrazilFecesFemaleHumansMaleApparent digestibilityBromatologyDiet compositiomMyrmecophagous

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.