feterinaty andLijZ] Science Uhivensit" Mitsashino-shi, fokyo 180-8602, .topan 2thculty ofAgT'icultune, fokyo Uhiversity qfAgriculture and fechnotogy thchu-shi, 7bdyo I83-8509, Jkrpan 3Kbnagawa Pnlt2ieture IVbtural Environment Conservation Centeny Atsugi-shi, Kbncrgawa 243-O121, Jlrpan 'Department of'Animal Sciences, feikyo Uhiversity ofSZ]ience and fechnology Ubnohara-shi, lamanashi 409-OI93, Japan Abstraet Chemical composition, energy content and in vitro dry matter digestibility ofnew leaves

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... fthree dwarfbamboo species were analysed in the Tanzawa Mountains, The three dwarfbarnboo species were Pleioblastus chino, Sasamon pha borealis and Sbsa hayatae, These species are almost exclusive winter food resources foT sika deer because of their evergrecn leaves, Protein content ofnewleaves of the three species mmged from 1 1.8% to 16,4% with the greatest content in Plejobiastus chino and the least one in the Sbsamorpha bonealis, The content ofneutral and acid detergent fibers did not show large diflbrence ainong the three species, but that of acid detergent lignin was higher in Stisamot;eha boreaiis than in Pleioblczstus chino. in vitro dry matter digestibility ofSlasamorpha borealis was higher than that ofSlasa hayataea, but these values were under 31.e% each, The gross energy ofnew leaves in this experiment ranged from 17,9kJlg te 19,4kJlg, These results indicate that the nutritive value of the three dwarfbamboe species in the Tanzawa mountains is insuMcient for sika deer as a winter food resource because oftheir high content ofneutral detergent fiber and low digestibility. Key words: chemical composition, digestibility, gross energM sasa dwarfbamboo, sika deer, Iatizawa