Path: ...!2.eu.feeder.erje.net!3.eu.feeder.erje.net!feeder.erje.net!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail
From: Robert Riches <spamtrap42@jacob21819.net>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Re: The joy of Herbivores
Date: 13 Nov 2024 05:04:17 GMT
Organization: none-at-all
Lines: 44
Message-ID: <slrnvj8cqh.6qo.spamtrap42@one.localnet>
References: <pan$96411$d204da43$cc34bb91$1fe98651@linux.rocks>
 <7c5edef0-d4ec-a8fc-3f70-8ffa2a2b1df0@example.net>
 <lota2sFmvonU1@mid.individual.net>
 <2132040480.752628420.877076.peter_flass-yahoo.com@news.eternal-september.org>
 <lp2qcmF6iqpU2@mid.individual.net> <vgjas9$2qcb7$2@dont-email.me>
 <lp58snFi0pvU2@mid.individual.net> <vgjvb0$2th9t$9@dont-email.me>
 <lp5h83Fj6rnU1@mid.individual.net>
 <c7804437-8c85-e1f5-1f90-74fe423884a3@example.net>
 <lp74r6Fqm1nU2@mid.individual.net>
 <10a1e4fa-c029-1ce7-173f-da67ddf34c16@example.net>
 <vgmsjq$3k4en$6@dont-email.me> <lp8dlgF1v5nU2@mid.individual.net>
 <e3e2d5da-fb4d-dba3-97ed-7bcf7c23efeb@example.net>
 <lpa084F98f4U3@mid.individual.net>
 <c198c5bc-f9a6-8ed9-86fc-01c274612546@example.net>
 <lpaguoFbq57U1@mid.individual.net> <vgpt8t$a98h$1@dont-email.me>
 <vgq2he$atvo$6@dont-email.me> <lpcfsoFkng7U5@mid.individual.net>
 <slrnvj5nnm.vn4.spamtrap42@one.localnet> <vh0nfd$1qspf$1@dont-email.me>
Reply-To: spamtrap42@jacob21819.net
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Trace: individual.net OHVPovBd+SCibTX2OINKKgy4P6YCx29by6v1NKoL2XBjfQqVMl
Cancel-Lock: sha1:v1N8UpgEIqtIb3nSpmkEViMdgWg= sha256:CKUCrSw7EECinbZzraWhooznMlL7JPpBb4xkDrYKEJw=
User-Agent: slrn/1.0.3 (Linux)
Bytes: 3620

On 2024-11-12, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
> On 12 Nov 2024 04:52:07 GMT, Robert Riches wrote:
>
>> A few decades ago, I was informed of at least one case where
>> do-gooders had left hay for an overpopulation of deer.  The deer
>> continued to die.  Analysis showed the deer starved to death with
>> full stomachs, because their digestive systems lacked the enzymes
>> to digest the types of hay that were being left for them.
>
> That doesn’t make any sense to me. There is essentially just one major 
> indigestible material in grassy/leafy matter, and that is cellulose. Only 
> certain kinds of bacteria know how to digest cellulose -- no vertebrate 
> does. So all herbivores have populations of bacteria like these in their 
> guts -- if you look at a herbivore, you will see it is basically an 
> elaborate system of digestive plumbing on legs -- a comfortable 
> environment for those bacteria, that handily collects the food for them.
>
> And cellulose is cellulose. Whatever plant source the herbivore gets it 
> from, it’s going to get digested.

A bit of web searching found a few references, and they appear to
be from reasonably credible sources:

6th and 7th paragraphs of this article:
https://cpw.state.co.us/news/01132022/cpw-warns-public-dangers-illegally-feeding-wildlife

apparently basically the same textZ:
https://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/2022/01/19/harmful-not-helpful/

9th paragraph:
https://animalrangeextension.montana.edu/wildlife/private_land_wildlife_mgmt/winter-deer-feeding.html

not specific to deer but appears applicable:
https://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/smallfarms/how-starve-animals-full-stomach

middle of 2nd page:
https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/deer_winter_feeding.pdf

Thanks for triggering some learning.

-- 
Robert Riches
spamtrap42@jacob21819.net
(Yes, that is one of my email addresses.)