[Food conversion in the digestive system of juvenile bulls. 2. Digestion of carbohydrates].
Each of ten rations containing 60% feed concentrate were tested on two bulls which were a fistulated at the duodenum. The carbohydrate contents varied considerably. Carbohydrate digestion in the forestomach was estimated by the detergent and Anthron methods and by quantitative gas chromatographic analysis for carbohydrate monomers. Apparent starch digestibility for starch-rich rations varied between 97.8 and 99%. Between 60 and 144 g of starch was found at the duodenum/animal.d in the case of the cereal-containing rations, the highest values being found for the one containing maize. The apparent digestibility of sugar was about 99%. The amount of sugar found at the duodenum varied between 16 and 67 g animal.d. Analysis by gas chromatography revealed that the feeds yielded less hemicelluloses than calculated from the difference NDF-ADF. The only other sugars found in appreciable amounts at the duodenum were arabinose and xylose.