278 The Nutritive Value of Alkali-treated Cereal Straws
TABLE XV
Digestible total carbohydrates
Animals |
Period 1 |
Period 2 |
||||
Whole |
Rape |
Wheat |
Whole |
Rape |
Wheat |
|
gm. |
gm. |
gm. |
gm. |
gm. |
gm. |
|
H 45 . . . . . . |
2434 |
245 |
2189 |
3293 |
241 |
3052 |
H 46 . . . . . . |
1983 |
216 |
1767 |
3073 |
211 |
2862 |
H 48 . . . . . . |
2549 |
245 |
2304 |
3499 |
230 |
3269 |
H 51 . . . . . . |
2229 |
216 |
2013 |
3457 |
211 |
3246 |
TABLE XVI
Digestibility coefficients of total carbohydrates in straws
Animals |
Period 1 |
Period 2 |
||||
Ingested |
Digested |
Digestibi- |
Ingested |
Digested |
Digestibi- |
|
gm. |
gm. |
gm. |
gm. |
|||
H 45 . . . . . . |
4364 |
2189 |
50.2 |
4552 |
3052 |
67.0 |
H 46 . . . . . . |
3640 |
1769 |
48.7 |
3804 |
2862 |
75.3 |
H 48 . . . . . . |
4531 |
2304 |
50.9 |
4532 |
3269 |
72.7 |
H 51. . . . . . |
3709 |
2013 |
54.3 |
4492 |
3246 |
72.1 |
Average . |
4061 |
2069 |
51.0 |
4345 |
3157 |
71.8 |
The data presented in Tables XV and XVI thus show that on. treatment
with dilute alkali, the digestibility coefficient of the total carbohydrates in
straw had increased from 51.0 to 71.8. The consequent improvement in the
starch equivalent value, when calculated by the Kellner's fibre method, shows
that per 100 lb. of dry matter, the S.E. increases from 21.3 lb. in untreated
straw to 34.1 lb. in treated straw, that is the increase in the starch equivalent
of the wheat straw on alkali treatment was 60 per cent.
(e) Nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus balances under the feeding conditions
of periods 1 and 2.—Under both regimes of straw feeding, the balances (aver-
age per day) of intake and output of nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus have
been worked out. The results are presented in Table XVII.