We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Metabolic fecal nitrogen and digestibility estimates in the grasscutter ( Thryonomys swinderianus).
- Authors
Adu, Emmanuel; Awotwi, Ebenezer; Amaning-Kwarteng, Kofi; Awumbila, Bawa
- Abstract
The metabolic fecal nitrogen and digestibility estimates in the grasscutter were determined using 12 captive-bred adult animals fed with four experimental diets differing primarily in crude protein content using nitrogen balance trial approach. Grasscutters required 343.5 mg N kg d of nitrogen to meet maintenance requirements, which were met on diets containing 7.4% crude protein. The true digestibility of nitrogen was moderate (52%) but within the range for eutherians. Dry matter intake increased with decreasing dietary nitrogen content, suggesting that animals on nitrogen-deficient diets displayed appreciable compensatory intake. Metabolic fecal nitrogen was 3.5 g N kg dry matter intake, and endogenous urinary nitrogen was 257.5 mg N kg d. The low value of metabolic fecal nitrogen found for grasscutters affected the dry matter intake required for nitrogen balance, and it may allow grasscutters to exploit nitrogen poor diets.
- Subjects
CANE rats; RATS -- Food; NITROGEN content of food; RODENTS; METABOLISM
- Publication
Tropical Animal Health & Production, 2012, Vol 44, Issue 4, p881
- ISSN
0049-4747
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11250-011-9982-2