Original scientific paper
THE EFFECT OF THREE SOURCES OF FIBRE ON THE DIGESTIBILITY OF NUTRIENTS IN GROWING RATS
Tatjana Pirman
; Zootechnical Department, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Groblje 3, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia
Jasmina Lozej
; Podraga 90 b, 6252 Podnanos, Slovenia
Andrej Orešnik
; Zootechnical Department, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Groblje 3, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia
Janez Salobir
; Zootechnical Department, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Groblje 3, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia
Abstract
In an experimental study on laboratory rats we examined the digestibility of crude protein, dry matter and organic matter after the addition of different sources of fibre in the diet. A control diet was prepared to meet the nutritional requirements of growing rats. In the experimental diets a fraction of starch was replaced with a source of fibre. The apple pectin (Pectin classic AU 701 Herbstreith&Fox, degree of esterification 36-44 %), the guar gum (Fluka 09999) and the wheat bran were used. The protein source in all diets was casein. 20 young male Wistar laboratory rats (five per group) were housed in individual balance cages and fed ad libitum either a control diet, or one of the experimental diets with pectin, guar gum or wheat bran diet. During the experiment the amount of diet consumed and the weight of the animals were registered. At five days intervals urine and the faeces were collected and nitrogen, dry matter and crude ash contents were determined in the collected samples. The apparent and true digestibility of protein were significantly (P >0.05) decreased in the experimental diets as compared to the control. The true digestibility in the control diet was 92.60 %. Among the experimental diets the best value was found for wheat bran (87.93 %), and significantly (P> 0.05) lower in guar gum (84.98 %) and in pectin (84.35 %). Biological value of protein in all groups was similar, between 71.44 % and 74.75 %. The results for the digestibility of dry matter and organic matter were similar to those for crude protein, being significantly (P > 0.05) lower in the experimental groups as compared to the control, but in this case the wheat bran group had significantly (P < 0.05) the smallest value. Guar gum and pectin as the source of soluble fibre had similar effects on the digestibility of nutrients, but on the other hand, wheat bran, which contains more insoluble than soluble fibre, caused some different reactions.
Keywords
nutrition; laboratory rats; dietary fibre; digestibility; protein biological value
Hrčak ID:
26488
URI
Publication date:
21.12.2006.
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