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 Nitsan, Z. Articles by Alumot, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nitsan, Z. Articles by Alumot, E.

Role of the Cecum in the Utilization of Raw Soybean in Chicks^{1, 2,}

Department of Animal Nutrition, The National and University Institute of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel

In previous work, depression of intestinal proteolysis was observed in young chicks fed a raw soybean diet. In the present study nitrogen balances performed on chicks from one to 7 weeks of age revealed smaller differences in nitrogen retention when raw and heated soybean diets were fed than was expected. This difference however, did not improve with age and other parts of the intestinal tract, including the cecum, were therefore tested for proteolytic activity. High proteolytic activity was noted in ceca of chicks up to 4 weeks old fed heated and raw soybean diets; whereas during the sixth week the enzyme activity decreased markedly with heated soybean; a slight depression occurred with the raw soybean diet. An increase of cecal proteolysis was observed when 8-week-old chicks were transferred from a heated to raw soybean diet. The contribution of the cecum to body weight gains, feed efficiency and nitrogen retention was investigated by cecoctomy. Chicks with no cecum that were fed raw soybean gained less weight, showed lower feed efficiency, and retained less nitrogen than sham-operated chicks. With heated soybean the removal of ceca increased the feed utilization somewhat. It appears that cecal proteolysis and subsequent nitrogen absorption compensate partly for inhibited proteolysis in the small intestine.

² Contribution from the National and University Institute of Agriculture, Rehovot, 1962 series, 510 E.

Manuscript received 23 January 1963.