Comparative digestibility of acid detergent fiber by laboratory albino and wild Polynesian rats

The effects of adding 5%, 10%, and 15% acid detergent fiber to a nonfibrous basal diet were examined in a comparative feeding study with Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans) and laboratory rats. Digestibility coefficients for dry matter, crude protein, and gross energy declined significantly in both species as fiber content increased, but averaged significantly lower in the Polynesian than in the laboratory rat. Fiber digestibility was not significantly affected by fiber level but was by species, with the Polynesian rat having the higher digestibility coefficients.