QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Larrivee, G. P. Articles by Elvehjem, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Larrivee, G. P. Articles by Elvehjem, C. A.

Studies on the Nutritional Requirements of Chinchillas¹

Four Figures

Department of Biochemistry, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Four synthetic diets, containing all the known vitamins except C and B₁₂ but varying in roughage and salt content, have been used in chinchilla nutrition studies. The diets containing gum arabic or cellulose at a level of 20%, plus added amounts of potassium and magnesium, supported apparently normal growth of both young and mature chinchillas for periods of 15 weeks or longer. Reductions in the potassium and magnesium contents of these diets had no discernible effects during the shorter experimental periods employed.

The diets containing cellulose at a level of 20% were physiologically superior to diets containing the same level of gum arabic as roughage.

Although the chinchilla is closely related to the guinea pig, ascorbic acid does not appear to be a dietary essential for this species.

Manuscript received 12 October 1953.