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PubMed2002

Apparent precaecal digestibility of nutrients and level of endogenous nitrogen in digesta of the small intestine of growing pigs as affected by various digesta viscosities.

Sixteen male growing pigs of about 24 kg BW were fitted with both a duodenal re-entrant and a post-valve T-shaped cannula inserted in the caecum. The animals were divided into four groups. Each group received one of the following diets: corn starch-soybean protein isolate-based diet without (diet C) and with carboxymethylcellulose (diet CMC) or a rye-wheat-based diet without (diet RW) and with xylanase addition (diet RWX). The diets provided similar levels of apparent precaecal digestible crude protein (CP), lysine, methionine + cystine, threonine and tryptophan. Additionally, [15N]-yeast was given with the diets during the first 10 days of the experiment. For estimation of digesta viscosity, N-flow of dietary and endogenous origin, apparent precaecal digestibilities of dry matter (DM), CP, amino acids and non starch polysaccharides (NSP) (only in pigs fed diets RW and RWX), ileal and duodenal digesta were quantitatively collected on day 16 and 17, respectively. The endogenous N-proportion was measured by the ratio of 15N enrichment in the digesta and urine. The duodenal and ileal digesta supernatant viscosity increased as carboxymethylcellulose was included into the diet. Xylanase addition to the rye-wheat based diet reduced the viscosity in the ileal digesta. There were no differences in precaecal digestibilities of DM, CP and amino acids between diet C and CMC. The precaecal digestibilities of DM and soluble and insoluble NSP increased from 69.5% to 73.9%, from 1.3% to 47.9% and from 17.0% to 35.4%, respectively, as xylanase was added to the rye-wheat-based diet. The apparent precaecal digestibility of most essential amino acids increased by 2 to 5 percent units. The amounts of endogenous N at the duodenal level were estimated to be 158, 233, 313 and 276 mg per 12 h per kg0.75 BW of pigs fed diets C, CMC, RW and RWX, respectively. The corresponding values at the ileal level were 95, 107, 164 and 150 mg per 12 h per kg0.75 BW. For endogenous N amounts, significant differences were observed between diets C and CMC (duodenum) and also between semi-purified and cereal-based diets (duodenum and ileum). Methodological aspects for the estimation of endogenous N using the isotope dilution technique are discussed. Obviously, the digesta viscosity per se does not affect the nutrient absorption and endogenous N flow within the small intestine of pigs. Other properties of complex dietary fibre, digesta passage rate or bacterial activity probably contribute to the observed changes.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2004

Effects of sex and dietary phosphorus level on the apparent metabolizable energy and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens.

The influence of sex of broilers and dietary phosphorus (P) level on energy utilization and apparent ileal digestibility of N, P and phytate-P were investigated. The AME(N) was determined using 3- and 6-week old broilers, while the apparent ileal digestibility were determined only with 6-week old birds. Sex of broilers had no effect on the AME(N) values determined during week 3. During week 6, the AME(N) values for male broilers were higher (P < 0.01) than those for the females. An interaction (P < 0.05) between sex and dietary P level was also observed. AME(N) values determined with male broilers were lower in the adequate-P diet compared to those in the low-P diet, whereas no effect of P level was observed in females. Female broilers tended (P < 0.10) to have a higher ileal N digestibility than the males, but a significant (P < 0.01) sex x P level interaction was observed. Males receiving the adequate-P diet had a lower N digestibility than those receiving the low-P diet, whereas the opposite was true in the females. Ileal phytate P degradation in males was higher than in females (0.282 vs. 0.234), but the differences were not significant. Increasing dietary P level increased ileal P digestibility in both the males and females, but the improvements were greater in the females, as indicated by a significant sex x P level interaction.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2001

Effects of preservation method and beta-glucanase supplementation on ileal amino acid digestibility and feeding value of barley for poultry.

1. Effects of preservation method (drying or air-tight storage of whole grain and ensiling of rolled high-moisture grain) and beta-glucanase supplementation (Econase) on apparent ileal amino acid digestibilities and metabolisable energy content of barley were evaluated with Ross broiler chickens. In addition, the effect of barley preservation method was assessed using Leghorn cockerels. 2. Birds were given either a semi-purified soyabean meal basal diet or a mixture of the basal diet and barley (50:50 on dry matter basis). Apparent ileal digestibilities (AID) of nutrients were assessed using the slaughter technique. AID of nutrients and nutrient digestibility measured using excreta (AED) were determined using chromium mordanted straw as an indigestible marker. 3. In broilers, AID of amino acids, dry matter and organic matter were lower for dried than air-tight stored barley, particularly for diets based on ensiled barley. In cockerels, barley preservation method had no effect on amino acid AID. The AED of nutrients and nitrogen corrected apparent metabolisable energy content (AMEn) was highest for ensiled barley across both experiments. 4. beta-glucanase supplementation increased nutrient digestibility, phosphorus retention and AMEn content of air-tight stored and dried barley diets in particular but had only negligible effects on ensiled barley. Beta-glucanase improved the AID of amino acids in dried barley but not in air-tight stored or ensiled barley. 5. Amino acid digestibilities were lower in broilers than cockerels and the effect of barley preservation on feeding value of barley was different for broilers and cockerels.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2001

Ileal starch digestibility in growing broiler chickens fed on a wheat-based diet is improved by mash feeding, dilution with cellulose or whole wheat inclusion.

1. An experiment was conducted to study causes of low ileal starch digestibilities when broiler chickens were fed on wheat-based diets. Each of 5 cold-pelleted diets containing 771 g/kg DM wheat and one cold-pelleted diet containing 694 g/kg DM wheat were fed to 24 male broiler chickens in 8 cages from 10 to 21 d of age. 2. Feed intake and weight gain were significantly reduced when the wheat diet was crushed and fed in a mash form. 3. Ileal starch digestibility increased significantly from 0.79 to 0.95, 0.93 and 0.91, respectively, when the diet was crushed and fed in a mash form, was diluted with cellulose prior to pelleting, or when parts of the wheat were fed as whole grains. Correspondingly, random variation between individual birds was reduced. 4. These results indicate that an overload of wheat starch in the digestive tract may be the cause of poor digestibility for some broilers in a flock. Grinding of the wheat may also influence starch digestibility.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2003

The effect of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf meal and of exogenous enzymes on amino acid digestibility in broilers.

1. The apparent ileal nitrogen (N) and amino acid digestibilities in chaya leaf meal (CLM) (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) with added enzymes, and the same variables in diets containing different amounts of CLM were studied in chickens. 2. In the first experiment pectinase, beta-glucanase, and pectinase + beta-glucanase were added to CLM. In the second experiment, there were three diets based on maize and soybean: 0, 150 and 250 g/kg CLM. 3. Pectinase significantly increased both lysine and overall amino acid digestibilities in CLM. 4. In experiment 2, the amino acid digestibility in birds fed on CLM250 was lower than that from birds fed on either control or CLM150. Only the digestibilities of alanine, arginine and proline were lower in birds fed on CLM150 than in those fed on the control diet. Nitrogen digestibility was lower in birds fed on the CLM250 diet than on either control or CLM150 diets. These findings were attributed to the increasing concentration of fibre with increasing dietary CLM.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2004

Linear regression approach to study amino acid digestibility in broiler chickens.

1. An experiment was conducted to investigate whether a linear regression approach is a suitable tool for determining the amino acid (AA) digestibility up to the terminal ileum of broiler chickens. Solvent-extracted rapeseed meal (RSM) was used as the model ingredient. 2. Ten diets with 5 different inclusion rates of RSM (60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 g/kg, corresponding to crude protein concentrations from 170 to 250 g/kg in the diet), each without or with a supplementation of phytase (500 U/kg), were fed ad libitum to broiler chickens between 14 and 21 d of age. Seven pens of 12 chickens were allocated to each treatment. Digesta were sampled on a pen basis from the section of the gastrointestinal tract between Meckel's diverticulum and 2 cm anterior to the ileo-caeco-colonic junction. Titanium dioxide was included as an indigestible marker. 3. The amounts of crude protein and AAs digested up to the terminal ileum constantly increased with increasing AA intake over the entire range of intakes. When the amount of an AA digested at the terminal ileum is linearly regressed against its intake, the deviation of the slope from 1 is caused by both the unabsorbed AA from RSM and from specific endogenous losses related to RSM. These slopes varied between 0.68 and 0.88 for individual AAs, and the slopes were unaffected by phytase supplementation. 4. It is suggested that a linear regression approach be adopted to study the AA digestibility of raw materials in chickens. Digestibility determined this way does not need any correction for basal endogenous loss.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed2004

Effects of inclusion of poultry by-product meal and enzyme-prebiotic supplementation in grower diets on performance and feed digestibility of broilers.

1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of level of inclusion of poultry by-product and enzyme-prebiotic supplementation on grower diet digestibility and the performance of broilers. 2. Six grower diets were formulated to provide a similar nutrient profile with the exception of using three graded levels of poultry by-product, namely 0, 25, 40 g/kg of the diet with and without supplementation of enzyme preparation at the rate of 1 kg per tonne of feed and prebiotic preparation at the rate of 2 kg per tonne of feed. The experimental diets were used from 3 to 6 weeks of age. 3. Body weights, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency were not affected by poultry by-product; however, enzyme-prebiotic had a significant positive effect on feed conversion efficiency at 0 to 6 weeks in experiment 1. 4. Crude protein digestibility was decreased by feeding the diet containing poultry by-product while ether extract digestibility was increased by poultry by-product at the rate of 25 g per kg of feed only. Dry matter retention, crude fibre digestibility and organic matter retention were not affected by poultry by-product. Dry matter and organic matter retentions, crude protein, ether extract and crude fibre digestibilities were not affected by enzyme-prebiotic. 5. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) values were increased by poultry by-product at the rate of 40 g per kg of feed and addition of enzyme-prebiotic.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1986

Determination of amino acid digestibility using caecectomised and intact adult cockerels.

Four subsamples of meat and bone meal (MBM) were heated (150 degrees C) for 0, 1.5, 3 and 5 h and then incorporated into four individual diets (100 g MBM/kg diet). The diets were precision-fed to 10 caecectomised and 10 intact adult cockerels. The apparent amino acid digestibility (ApAAD) and true amino acid digestibility (TAAD) of the diets were determined by analysis of the excreta. The digestibility coefficients measured using caecectomised birds were lower than those determined with intact birds. Coefficients of digestibility were statistically examined by analysis of variance for the effects of bird type (caecectomised or intact), type of calculation (apparent or true) and diet (heat-treatment) with and without accommodation for individual bird variability. If individual bird variability was not considered in the analysis the bird type X diet interactions (P less than 0.01) included glutamic acid, tyrosine and serine. When individual bird variability was included in the analysis, significant (P less than 0.01) bird type X diet interactions occurred for aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, leucine, tyrosine and lysine and the precision of the data was markedly improved. Amino acid digestibility using the precision-feeding procedure is affected by the selection of either intact or caecectomised birds.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1987

Digestibilities of amino acids in soyabean, sunflower and groundnut meals, determined with intact and caecectomised cockerels.

1. Three isonitrogenous diets were formulated in which soyabean (dehulled), sunflower (hulled) and groundnut (dehulled) meals were the sole protein sources. 2. 50 g of each diet was tube-fed to each of 24 intact and 24 caecectomised cockerels, which had been previously starved for 48 h. Excreta were collected, individually, for 48 h. The concentrations of amino acids in the diets and excreta were determined, and digestibility coefficients calculated. 3. Differences between intact and caecectomised birds for true digestibility evaluations reached significance for threonine, glycine and lysine only. Deamination of threonine and glycine, and synthesis of lysine, in the caeca was implied. 4. Neither the true digestibility of nitrogen, nor that of the sum of the amino acids differed between protein sources. 5. True digestibilities of most essential amino acids, considered individually, in sunflower and groundnut meals were similar to or greater than, those of soyabean meal. Exceptionally, lysine was more digestible in soyabean (0.879) than in sunflower (0.722) or groundnut (0.788) meals.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1991

Growth and development of the digestive organs and some enzymes in broiler chicks after hatching.

1. Body weight and the weight of the digestive organs and activities of some digestive enzymes were determined from hatching to 23 d of age. 2. Relative daily growth rate peaked at 11 d of age (22% gain/d) and then decreased gradually. 3. The vitelline residue was decreased rapidly from 4.6 g at hatching to negligible values from 4 d of age. 4. Maximal allometric growth of the pancreas and small intestine was 4-fold and that of liver 2-fold greater than that of the body. 5. Activities (units/kg body weight) of the digestive enzymes measured in the pancreas and intestinal contents increased with age. In the pancreas maximal values were attained on day 8 for amylase and lipase and 11 for trypsin and chymotrypsin. In the small intestine maxima were attained on day 4 for lipase, 11 for trypsin and chymotrypsin and 17 for amylase. 6. The development of secretion of digestive enzymes in the post-hatched chick could be a limiting factor in digestion and subsequently in food intake and growth.

Amylases↗
PubMed1997

A comparative study between mature ostriches (Struthio camelus) and adult cockerels with regard to the true and apparent digestibilities of amino acids.

1. A study was conducted to compare apparent and true digestibility of amino acids in a high protein experimental diet between young ostriches (7 months of age) and cockerels. 2. A mean value for true digestibility of amino acids (TAAD) of 0.837 +/- 0.0073 (range 0.780 to 0.862) was derived for ostriches, compared with a mean value of 0.795 +/- 0.0258 (range 0.723 to 0.825) for cockerels. 3. True retention of dietary protein was 0.646 +/- 0.0114 and 0.609 +/- 0.0643 for ostriches and cockerels respectively. 4. Results in the present study produced evidence that the method for determining metabolisable energy values of ingredients for ostriches is also suitable for measuring the digestibility of amino acids. 5. It was concluded that accurate diet formulation for ostriches requires the assessment of amino acid digestibilities for individual ingredients, because values derived from poultry would underestimate digestibilities for ostriches.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1997

Effects on chick performance and nutrient digestibility of an endo-xylanase added to a wheat- and rye-based diet in relation to fat source.

1. A study with growing chicks investigated the effects of an inclusion of an endo-xylanase preparation (LYXASAN) to a wheat- and rye-based diet on performance and nutrient digestibility in relation to the fat source. 2. The basal diet contained 500 g wheat and 100 g rye/kg of diet. The basal diet was supplemented with either 65 g soya oil/kg or 60 g blended animal fat and 5 g soya oil/kg. 3. Endo-xylanase added to the soya oil diet did not affect weight gain, but there was a numerical improvement in food conversion efficiency which was not statistically significant. When the endo-xylanase preparation was added to the blended animal fat diet, both weight gain and food utilisation were improved by 9.5% and 6.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). 4. Digestibilities of organic matter, crude fat, crude fibre and NFE were not significantly affected by adding endo-xylanase to the soya oil diet. However, when endo-xylanase was included in the blended animal fat diet, digestibility of organic matter, crude fat, crude fibre and NFE were improved (P < 0.05). The improvement in fat digestibility was the most pronounced, amounting to 9.4%. Nitrogen retention and metabolisable energy content were improved significantly by the addition of an endo-xylanase to the animal fat diet (P < 0.05), by 6.6% and 6.5% respectively. 5. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the effects on chick performance and nutrient digestibility of a dietary endo-xylanase in a wheat- and rye-based diet are influenced to a considerable degree by the type of fat in the diet.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1998

Strategies to improve the nutritive value of rice bran in poultry diets. IV. Effects of addition of fish meal and a microbial phytase to duckling diets on bird performance and amino acid digestibility.

1. Ducklings were given diets with vegetable protein (VP) and 0 or 600 g rice bran/kg; fish meal (60 g/kg) and a phytase (+, -) were added to the diets (VP + AP). An additional 40 g soyabean meal/kg was added to the diet with rice bran (VP ++). Amino acid digestibility and mineral retention were measured in the lower ileum of ducklings killed at 23 d of age. Acid insoluble ash was used as an inert marker. Trypsin and amylase activities were also measured and weights of the pancreas and small intestine recorded at slaughter. 2. Addition of soyabean meal (VP ++) to the diet with rice bran improved growth rate and food intake compared to the diet without (VP) and gave the same food intake and growth rate as the comparable basal diet (VP) without rice bran. Fish meal improved growth rate on the diets without rice bran and improved food intake on this diet (VP + AP). Rice bran depressed growth rate and food conversion ratio (FCR); protein source affected growth rate, food intake and FCR; phytase increased food intake only. There were several interactions. 3. Determined total amino acid composition of the diets appeared to meet the essential amino acid requirements of ducklings. Rice bran depressed the ileal digestibility of virtually all amino acids and phytase had no direct effect, although there were interactions. Fish meal addition to diets with rice bran improved the apparent digestibility of several essential amino acids as well as that of dry matter and crude protein. 4. Ileal retention of some minerals and tibia ash content were reduced by rice bran. Fish meal and phytase inclusion increased P retention and ash in tibia. 5. Higher intestinal trypsin activity and increased pancreas size were seen in ducklings on diets with rice bran compared to those without. Intestinal amylase activity was reduced in ducklings given rice bran, probably because of its low starch content. 6. The stimulating effect of fish meal on duckling performance was probably caused in part by the improvement in the digestibility of some amino acids. The addition of small amounts of minerals in fish meal may have increased mineral retention. Phytase gave benefits anticipated from our previous work, but also improved lysine and threonine digestibility in diets containing vegetable protein only.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed1997

Effect of technological treatments on digestibility and allergenicity of meat-based baby foods.

OBJECTIVE: When suitability prepared according to particular characteristics of hygiene and digestibility, meat is an important food for human weaning. The present knowledge on meat digestibility and allergenicity are not enough to justify removal of meat from a child's diet when there is risk but no clinical evidence of allergy. Based on these considerations, the role of technological treatments on digestibility and allergenicity of meat-based baby foods is considered. SUBJECTS: Eight children (five males and three females) suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD), aged 3.8 to 7.1 years (mean age 4.86 +/- 1.10 years). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An in vitro multienzymatic digestibility assay was used to evaluate proteolysis in meat samples (from four different animal species). The experimental design included raw, steam-cooked (home-made and industrial cooking), homogenized (strained) and freeze-dried meat samples. Skin prick test (SPT) was performed to evaluate positive responses to meat samples (raw, cooked, strained and freeze-dried) from four animal species. RESULTS: Our data indicate that enzymatic attack is strongly affected by heat treatment as shown in steam-cooked meat samples. On the other hand, blending, homogenization and freeze-drying processes are able to partially reverse the phenomenon. Data on modification of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel rlectrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) protein pattern during the multienzymatic assay are reported. Cooking and technological treatments reduce positive responses obtained in SPT. CONCLUSIONS: Technological treatments improve digestibility and reduce antigenicity of meat products.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Processing effects on susceptibility of starch to digestion in some dietary starch sources.

Maize flour, potato flour, cocoyam flour, plantain flour, yam flour, and rice flour were assayed for starch digestibility by an established enzymatic procedure. These were either autoclaved, microwaved, or parboiled and then freeze-dried. Freeze-dried samples were stored for 10 days either below freezing or at ambient temperature. Parameters assessed were readily digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS), and total starch (TS). Data was analyzed by t-test (P < or = 0.05). RDS levels among raw flours ranged from 1.01 g/100g in rice flour to 8.16 g/100 g in cocoyam flour. Autoclaving and parboiling increased RDS levels in most flours, while microwaving significantly reduced RDS compared with raw flour. Ambient temperature storage reduced the RDS content. SDS levels ranged from 4.95 g/100 g in yam flour to 22.2 g/100 g in maize flour. SDS levels were increased by autoclaving and parboling, but significantly reduced by microwaving, compared with the raw flour. Storage at ambient temperature resulted in lower SDS. The TS content in raw flour ranged from 28.0 g/100 g in plantain flour to 68.4 g/100 g in rice flour. Autoclaving resulted in reduced TS levels insome flours. Moist heat processing and the post-process storage temperature therefore result in significant changes in starch susceptibility to enzymic digestion. This information will be useful in developing food processing and storage procedures that modify starch resistance to digestion in order to optimize its nutritional quality and to enhance the physiological benefits.

Dietary Carbohydrates↗
PubMed2006

Effects of betaine and condensed molasses solubles on nitrogen balance and nutrient digestibility in piglets fed diets deficient in methionine and low in compatible osmolytes.

A balance experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of betaine monohydrate (BET) or betaine derived from condensed molasses solubles (CMS) as a substitute for methionine and choline on nitrogen (N) balance and total tract nutrient digestibility in weaned piglets. The experiment included four treatments with 32 barrows with an average initial body weight (BW) of 13.5 kg. The supplementation of DL-methionine and choline (positive control = PC) to the basal diet, which was deficient in methionine and low in compatible osmolytes in the form of betaine or its precursor choline (negative control = NC) resulted in a significant increase in N retention of 0.8 g/d. The substitution of DL-methionine and choline with BET or CMS did not affect N retention compared to the PC and the NC treatment either. Feeding the PC diet increased the digestibilities of organic matter, NDF, ADF, NFE, crude ash, Ca, P, methionine, tryptophan and cystine by 1.9%, 7.3%, 9.7%, 1.1%, 6.3%, 13.9%, 7.7%, 15.9%, 4.3% and 2.8%, respectively, and tended (p < 0.20) to increase the digestibilities of most other amino acids by 1.6-3.4%. Digestibility of CP, EE (HCl), Mg and Na was 3.1% (p=0.09), 5.1% (p=0.09), 5.1% (p= 0.06) and 3.3% (p= 0.17) higher, respectively, when compared to the NC treatment. BET and CMS supplementation increased most nutrient digestibilities in the same magnitude as for the PC treatment. In summary, the supplementation of betaine, originating from different sources, to a diet with low contents of compatible osmolytes increased in particular the fermentation of fibre and enhanced mineral absorption. The supplementation of the NC with DL-methionine was more efficient in improving N retention than the replacement of DL-methionine by betaine originating from BET or CMS.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1978

[Nutrient composition of some newly bred high protein and/or high lysine grains and their digestibility determined on growing pigs].

With the view to complementing the feedstuff data store and, consequently, to further improving the GDR Feed Evaluation System, some newly bred high-protein and/or high-lysine cereal varieties and strains (spring barley, winter wheat, maize) were studied for their nutrient composition and digestibility. Apart from from WEENDER's feed analysis technique, more recent methods were applied to determine total fat (after HCl treatment), carbohydrates (enzymatic method), lignin and amino acids. The digestibility of the nutrients was determined using growing pigs of different live weight, the test rations being made up of the cereals under and supplementations of limiting amino acids as well as vitamins and minerals. In comparison with the values from currently applied tables, the newly bred strains and varieties proved to have markedly higher contents of crude protein, digestible crude protein, lysine and energetic feed equivalents. Compared to crude fat, the total fat values proved markedly higher in the barley and wheat samples. The readily soluble and easily hydrolizable carbohydrates found with the new analysis procedure suggested, were 100% digestible in all cereal samples used. Lignin proved the constituent most difficult to digest and must be regarded as virtually undigestible in the case of pigs.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1978

[Improvement of the feed value of straw by pelleting and sodium hydroxide addition. 1. Changes in the digestibility of rye and wheat straw].

Four series of pelleting experiments were conducted using straw from winter rye and winter wheat crops. Pelleting was done with and without grain addition. In each of the experimental series, 7 NaOH dosage levels were tested Further, 2 to 5% urea were added to the mixture to be pelleted. The 28 different pellet batsches and untreated straw were fed to sheep to study digestibility. Evaluation by difference trial revealed that straw pelleting without NaOH addition reduces the digestibility of organic matter by 4.7 units, on the average, whilst NaOH addition was found to increase digestibility depending on the dose applied. The following relationship was found between digestibility of straw dry matter (y) and NaOH dose in g/kg straw dry matter (x): y = 43.4 + 0.358x -0.00116x2. The grain proportion proved largely inert as far as the NaOH action is concerned. In one experimental series in which wheat straw without grain addition had been compacted at high pressing temperatures, an additional disintegration effect was observed irrespective of the NaOH dose applied. It increased digestibility by 8.0 units and is very likely to originate from the specific action of urea.

Animal Feed↗