Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of addition of cellulose in the diet on the metabolism in rat fed high and low level of zinc. The experimental animals were consisted of 24 male weaning rats of Sprague-Dawley strain(mean weight 72.3g), and they were devided into 4 groups of 6 rats and fed experimental diets for four weeks. Dietary zinc levels used were 10 ppm, and 300ppm and cellulose levels were 2.5% and 10% of diet by weight. Throughout the experimental period, feed consumption and body weight gain were measured and feed efficiency ratio was calculated. The weight of live, kidney and spleen were measured, and the contents of zinc in feces, urine, liver, kidney, spleen and serum were determined. The results obtained are summarized as following ; 1. Body weight gain in high zinc-adequate cellulose group was significantly higher than the other groups. Feed consumptions were significantly higher in high zinc groups and no significant difference was found with dietary cellulose levels. 2. Fecal zinc excretions of four groups were not different at the first week, but at the end of fourth week, high zinc groups experince significantly more zinc excretion than low zinc groups, and also high cellulose groups had higher zinc contents in the feces than the adequate ones within the same zinc levels(p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the urinary zinc excretion. 3. The weights of liver, kidney and spleen were heavier in the high zinc groups than the lower ones, and higher in the high cellulose groups(p<0.05). The liver zinc contents were significantly lower in the low zinc and high cellulose groups. However zinc contents in the kidney and serum were not influenced by dietary zinc level but by cellulouse level. High cellulose diet lowered serum and kidney zinc concentrations(p<0.05).

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