Beet Pulp Pellets as the Carrier of Chromic Oxide for Determining Digestibility

Abstract

Digestibility was determined with the chromic oxide dilution technique using beet pulp pellets as the carrier and was compared with total collection method. There were no significant differences between the digestibility coefficients from the two methods. The standard deviation was slightly larger with chromic oxide. When beet pulp was the carrier, the cycle in the excretion pattern was biphasic. Minimum concentration of chromic oxide in the feces was 8 hr after administration of chromic oxide. The maximum occurred about 12 hr behind the peak or 20 hr after dosing. In contrast, deviations from the average chromium excreted were much less when chromic oxide labeled paper was fed. Again, the minimum and maximum were about 12 hr apart, but a definitive cycle was not continuous for the 24 hr.