Nutrition of Rats with Compounds of Known Chemical Structure

Abstract

Rats have been maintained for three successive generations with a ration assembled from compounds of known chemical structure. There was no evidence of progressive nutritional failure during successive generations. The incidence of mortality of the young was very low but pre-weaning and post-weaning weight gains and the weight attained at maturity were subnormal. The addition of 3% of natural fat improved the ration with respect to litter size, pre-weaning and post-weaning weight gains of the young and the weight attained after weaning of the second litter. The significance and pratical limitations of these observations have been discussed.