Survival and reproduction in the scarabaeine dung beetle Onthophagus binodis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on dung produced by cattle on grain diets in feedlots

Feedlotting cattle with dietary supplements of grain before market is becoming a widespread practice in Australia. Many farmers involved in this practice have noticed a minimal amount of dung beetle activity in the dung produced by cattle being fed grain diets. In this study, the dung from both feed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental entomology 1996-10, Vol.25 (5), p.1026-1031
Main Authors: Dadour, I.R. (University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia.), Cook, D.F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALIMENTACION DE LOS ANIMALES
ALIMENTATION DES ANIMAUX
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
BOUSIER
BOVIN
CALIDAD
CONTENIDO DE NITROGENO
Demecology
DESCENDANCE
DIMENSION
ESCARABAJOS DEL ESTIERCOL
ESTIERCOL
FEEDLOT
FERTILIDAD
FERTILITE
FUMIER
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
GANADO BOVINO
MORTALIDAD
MORTALITE
ONTHOPHAGUS
Onthophagus binodis
PROGENIE
Protozoa. Invertebrata
QUALITE
Scarabaeidae
SUPERVIVENCIA
SURVIE
TENEUR EN AZOTE
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Summary:Feedlotting cattle with dietary supplements of grain before market is becoming a widespread practice in Australia. Many farmers involved in this practice have noticed a minimal amount of dung beetle activity in the dung produced by cattle being fed grain diets. In this study, the dung from both feedlotted (grain-fed) and pasture-fed cattle was assessed as a food and reproductive resource for the dung beetle Onthophagus binodis Thunberg by bioassay in the laboratory. The diet of grain-fed cattle consisted of either 15% lupine, 20% oats, and 65% barley (50% grain) (grain 1) or 70% lupin grain and 30% hay (grain 2). There was no significant difference in either adult beetle mortality or the emergence pattern of F1 progeny when beetles were maintained on dung from either grain-fed or pasture-fed cattle. However, dung beetles reared on dung from pasture-fed cattle produced significantly more brood masses compared with beetles reared on dung from cattle fed on grain 2. A significantly greater number of F1 progeny survived to aduldhood from brood masses produced by beetles reared on dung from pasture-fed cattle compared with dung from grain-fed cattle. The progeny emerging from brood masses produced with dung from pasture-fed cattle were significantly larger compared with progeny emerging from brood masses produced with dung from grain-fed cattle
ISSN:0046-225X
1938-2936
DOI:10.1093/ee/25.5.1026