Abstract
AbstractThe influence of neutral detergent fibre from Bengal gram on the utilisation of protein in albino rats was studied. Four market samples of Bengal gram and Bengal gram Annegeri variety harvested at three different stages of maturity were used for the study. The legumes were first analysed for proximate principles and then used as the source of nitrogen and fibre in the rat diets. Their proximate composition was similar to the values reported in literature. The content of neutral detergent fibre increased with increasing crude fibre. Growth of weanling rats was assessed on the basis of protein efficiency ratio (PER). Digestibility coefficient (DC), biological value (BV), total nitrogen retention (TNR) and net protein utilisation (NPU) were determined. PER, NPU, DC and nitrogen retention decreased with increase in fibre content in the diet. PER of Bengal gram sample with 14% neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was significantly different from the PER of all other samples. Biological value, however, was not affected by the fibre content.
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