ScienceDaily (July 20, 2012) — When food is abundant, it seems that animals do not have to compete but dominant deer hinds still uphold rivalry and select the most nutritious food to maintain their status. This is the case according to a study carried out on the Albacete experimental deer farm in Spain.
Deer hinds (Cervus elaphus) have a hierarchical organisation system: the oldest and largest hold the most dominant positions. Therefore, a nutrient rich diet benefits the more dominant hinds, who have preferential access to the best food sources. This allows them to grow even bigger, improving their milk production and body condition.
Published in the PLoS One journal and headed by the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), the study demonstrates how even when food is in abundance, the dominant hinds select the best foods.
Carried out in 2009 on the Albacete experimental deer farm, the second most important in the world (after the one in New Zealand), the experiment lasted seven days. It involved observing the behaviour of 44 deer hinds when accessing food during the first hour, their selection of food components and their nutritional composition.
Continued: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120720083024.htm
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