Effects of Caecectomy in the Young Adult Female Rat on Digestibility of Food Offered Ad Libitum and in Restricted Amounts

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Abstract
Cecectomized and sham-operated rats were fed a laboratory chow ad lib and the effects of cecectomy on the digestibility of the food were studied. Compared with sham-operated controls, cecectomized rats showed a decrease in apparent digestibility of organic matter from 77.8-73.0% of crude protein from 83.0-79.4%, and of carbohydrate from 74.6-69.0%. Fecal water content increased from 41.6-54.8%. 51Cr-labeled EDTA was excreted faster in the feces after cecectomy. The colon partly adapted to the loss of cecal mucosa by increased length and mucosal surface area. In a 2nd concurrent experiment the effect of cecectomy on the apparent digestibility of food during food restriction was studied. Six cecectomized rats, comparable in all respects to those used in the 1st study, were fed the laboratory chow ad lib for 3 wk. They were fed submaintenance amounts of food to achieve body wt losses of 40-50% and to maintain these low weights for 4 wk. They were again fed ad lib for 3 wk. During the period of restriction the apparent digestibility of organic matter increased from 72.7-75.4%. This was largely due to the increased apparent digestibility of crude protein which rose from 78.4-81.9%. Digestibility coefficients returned to control values immediately upon refeeding ad lib.

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