The nutritive value of fodder cellulose from wheat straw. I. Its digestibility and feeding value when fed to ruminants and pigs

In this paper are presented the results of an investigation into the composition and digestibility of fodder cellulose. This product was manufactured from wheat straw by the method employed in the making of paper. Wheat straw was boiled with 5·9% caustic soda solution for 7 hr. under a pressure of 70 lb./sq.in. The alkaline liquor was then run off, and the residual cellulose, after being washed with water until free from alkali, was pressed, dried in electric ovens at 100° C. and finally obtained in the form of a coarse meal. It contained, on the basis of dry matter, 79·82% of crude fibre, 16·22% of N-free extractives (mainly xylan), 0·36% of crude protein, 0·49% of other extract and 3·11% of ash. Its content of total cellulose (‘true’ cellulose plus associated cellulosan, as defined by Norman & Jenkins, 1933) amounted to 97·4% on the moisture and ash-free basis.Digestion trials were carried out with both sheep and pigs. The daily ration of the sheep consisted of 800 g. of chaffed meadow hay, 600 g. of fodder cellulose, 100 g. of linseed cake, 60 g. of molasses and 18 g. of a mixture of equal parts of common salt and precipitated tricalcic phosphate. Although the fodder cellulose formed as much as 38% of the total daily food, no difficulty was experienced in securing clean and ready consumption.