Improved Acceptance by Rats of Gibberella Zeae-Damaged Corn after Washing

Abstract

Response of rats to diets containing Gib-berella zeae-damaged corn and procedures to improve its suitability as animal feed were investigated in six trials. Rats discriminated against G. zeae-damaged corn by decreased consumption whenever it was offered together with a control diet alternative. Five different G. zeae-darmaged corns, fed in diets at similar damage levels, caused similar feed refusal, indicating that rats detect and discriminate against G. zeae-damaged corn generally. Younger (smaller) rats were slightly more sensitive to G. zeae-damaged corn than older (heavier) rats; previous feeding of G. zeae-damaged corn had little effect on subsequent feeding response. Soaking G. zeae-damaged corn in tap water for 48 hr with daytime rinsings at 2-hr intervals significantly improved feed consumption over unwashed G. zeae-damaged corn in both free choice and no choice experiments. Shorter periods of washing were less effective than 48 hours. Copyright © 1976. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1976 by American Society of Animal Science.