Nitrogen characteristics of ungulates faeces: effect of time of exposure and storage

A b s t r a c t . An experiment was conducted to monitor the effect of the length of environmental exposure of faeces on the content of nitrogen and diaminopimelic acid. We used samples of the droppings of wild red deer and examined them for the content of N and DAPA upon exposure to field conditions for 0-7 days during the growing season and for 0-30 days in winter, and after a year of storage in dried and frozen state. In relation to nitrogen level, there were no differences between the samples of fresh droppings and those after different lengths of exposure to ambient conditions before analysis and no differences between fresh and stored samples. As to DAPA level, there were no differences between the samples of fresh droppings and those after exposure. Nitrogen and DAPA levels in the droppings were stable and can be measured in both fresh samples and samples that have been exposed to ambient conditions for one week in summer or one month in winter.

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