Abstract 421

Sharma,-SK; Gupta,-BN

Dairy Cattle Nutrition and Physiology Division, National Dairy Research Inst., Karnal 132 001, India.

Indian-Journal-of-Nutrition-and-Dietetics. 1984, 21: 2, 58-68; 28 ref.

Groundnut [oil]cake was kept in sealed polythene bags for 4 days, alone or with formaldehyde 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 or 1.50 g/100 g crude protein and the decrease in solubility of total, non-protein and protein nitrogen in water or in M sodium chloride was estimated. Percentage release of ammonia in vitro by incubation with cattle rumen fluid for 2, 4, 6 or 8 h was estimated also. Nylon bags with 8 to 12 g treated cake were suspended in the rumen of 3 calves for 3, 6, 9 or 12 h. Samples of 0.5 g were incubated for 12 h at 39øC in vitro with 50 ml 0.2% pepsin in 10% hydrochloric acid and N fractions were estimated. Results indicated that formaldehyde up to 1.25% was safe to use for protecting groundnut protein; the solubility of protein N on treatment with pepsin decreased by 53%. Formaldehyde 1.50% seemed to be too high a concentration, because solubility of protein N on treatment with pepsin decreased by 76% and the protein could be over-protected, hampering its digestion in the abomasum.