Determination of digestibility coefficient

Abstract

Nutrients present in the feedstuffs are not completely available to the animal body. Large portions of the nutrients are excreted In the faeces because of being not digested In the alimentary tract. Therefore, the digestibility of the feedstuff is defined as the portion of a feed or nutrient of feed which is not recovered In faeces, i.e., the portion which has been absorbed by the animal. When the digestibility is expressed in percentage it is known as digestibility coefficient. Digestibility coefficients are calculated for dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract and nitrogen-free extract. Digestibility of gross energy present in the food can also be determined. The digestibility coefficients normally determined are the apparent digestibility coefficients since the nutrients found in the faeces contain small proportion of nutrients from the previously utilized food In the form of mucosal debris, unspent enzymes ate.