Mineral utilization of malted sorghum and corn with added crayfish in rats.

Forty adult rats were used to study the mineral balances of malted and unmalted wet- or dry-milled sorghum and corn combined with crayfish and fed rats for 12 days. Five out of the twelve days were for adjustment and the rest for balance period. These mixtures each was calculated to provide 1.6 g N daily for the entire study period. Malting and wet milling produced increases in crude protein content of the cereal grains. However, the increases were much more evident in sorghum. Wet milling caused increases in calcium retention in corn groups. It produced the same effect on phosphorus balance only in sorghum groups. On the other hand, it produced positive iron balances only in unmalted corn and malted sorghum groups. The results suggest improved mineral nutriture due to malting except for the Fe retention of the MDC:CR group.