The Importance of Bulk in the Nutrition of the Guinea Pig

Abstract

A purified basal ration containing all of the known nutrients (except vitamin B₁₂) produced a rate of growth of only 1.8 gm per day for 6 weeks compared to a normal rate of 6.9 gm per day when a commercial ration composed of natural feeds was fed. When the purified basal ration was supplemented with 25% alfalfa leaf meal (in place of an equal amount of sucrose) a nearly normal average growth rate of 6.5 gm per day was obtained. When the basal ration was supplemented with 30% dried beet pulp growth was equally good. Powdered gum arabic (a hemicellulose) was consistently the most active single supplement when fed at a level of 15%. However, the average growth rate of 5.1 gm per day when this gum was fed was less than the normal rate of 6.9 gm. When the ash from alfalfa leaf meal equivalent to 25% was added to a ration containing 15% gum arabic, nearly normal growth rates were obtained for periods as long as 12 weeks. The level of protein in the synthetic ration could be reduced when gum arabic was fed.