Do new world primates really have elevated needs for protein and Vitamin D?

Citation

Oftedal OT, Power ML, Tardif SD. 1997. Do new world primates really have elevated needs for protein and Vitamin D?. In Proceedings of the Second Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Fort Worth, TX.

Abstract

Phylogenetic variation in nutrient requirements is of both theoretical and practical interest. Although all vertebrates are thought to require a similar set of nutrients, quantitative needs can vary in relation to digestive, physiologic and reproductive performance (Allen and Oftedal, 1996). For example, among primates it is likely that the nutrient requirements of colobine monkeys such as colobus (Colobus) and langurs (Presbytis) are modified by the microbial fermentation that occurs in the enlarged and sacculated foregut (Bauchop and Martucci, 1968). In bushbabies (Otolemur) maternal nutrient needs are undoubtedly influenced by the relatively high rates of milk nutrient transfer (Tilden and Oftedal. 1996). All primates need not have the same quantitative nutrient requirements, even if differences in body size are taken into account.

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