The effect of semi-starvation on the digestibility of food in young adult female rats.

The apparent digestibilities of organic matter, protein, lipid and carbohydrate of a laboratory chow were determined in young adult female rats fed ad libitum, after losing 40-50% body weight and prolonging the loss for up to 15 weeks, and while recovering the lost body weight during a second period of ad libitum food intake. During deprivation the animals increased the apparent digestibility of crude protein but there was no significant change in digestibility coefficients of lipid or carbohydrate in relation to treatments. When food was again offered ad libitum to the deprived animals they ate large amounts compared with their body weights but normal amounts when compared with their age peers. Apparent crude protein digestibility immediately returned to pre-deprivation values. No impairment of ability to ingest and digest quantities of food relative to age was detected.