Apparent digestibility of dry or moist cat food was determined by both total feces collection method and the indicator method using Cr₂O₃ as an indicator. In Experiment 1, adult cats (n=8) were given free access to a canned food consisted mainly of fish meat (71.1% moisture and 21.5%crude protein). Digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat (ether extract), and N-free extract was determined by the two methods during week 1, week 2, and week 3 after a 5-d precollection period. Digestibility of these components except for N-free extract was consistent among the three time periods independent of the determination methods. In addition, fecal dry matter excretion was almost proportional to dry matter intake throughout the 3-wk period. In Experiment 2, adult cats (n = 6) were given free access to an extruded dry diet containing a plenty of vegetable ingredients (6.1% moisture and 27.3% crude protein). When digestibility was determined by the indicator method, digestibility was consistent among the time periods of week 1, week 2, and week 3 after a 5-d precollection period. In contrast, when digestibility was determined by the total feces collection method, the value tended to vary with time periods except for crude fat (acid-ether extract), and the tendency was most obvious with crude protein. Fecal dry matter excretion did not parallel to dry mater intake in Experiment 2. These results suggested that the indicator method was preferable to the total feces collection method in determining apparent digestibility of extruded dry cat foods, probably because of uneven excretion of fecal dry matter. However, a 5-d precollection period seemed sufficient to obtain accurate digestibility even in carnivorous cats, at least when the indicator method is adopted.

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Healthy adult male Beagles (n=24) were used to assess metabolizable energy (ME)required for maintenance as a function of ambient temperature. First, ME requirements were determined in summer (mean temperature,28°C), fall (18°C) and winter (8°C) using four dogs from a litter (16 mo of age,11-12 kg in body weight) and the other four from another litter (50 mo of age,14-15 kg) in every season. The ME density of experimental diets was determined by a digestion trial using additional four adult male Beagles (15kg). The diets were fed for 4 wk in a season, and daily intakes were adjusted to four levels to give dififerent weight gains ranging from negative to positive within a group. Maintenance requirements of ME were regarded as the ME intake that makes gains zero. As a result, maintenance requirements of ME (kcal/W^0.75perday) were as follows in the order of 16 and 50 mo of age: 100 and 87 in summer,135 and 108in fall, and 161 and 146 in winter. Young dogs required more ME for maintenance than older dogs in all seasons. Next, linear regressions were detemined between the ME requirement for maintenance and the mean temperature in three seasons. The regressions were significant(P<0.01)for each age group and even when data were pooled independent of age, and suggested that daily ME required for maintenance could increase by 3.0kcal/W^0.75 every1⋅°C drop in temperature within the range of 8 to 28°C.

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健康なネコの尿中蛋白質を分画した。尿中総蛋白質のほとんど(95%以上)が可溶性蛋白質であり,その分子量からアルブミンと推定された。尿の遠心沈渣中にはこれに加えて分子量95-100kDaの蛋白質が認められたが,これは過去の知見からTamm-Horsfall glyceprotein (THP)と考えられた。THPと推定される蛋白質は尿遠心沈渣中の塩酸不溶性区分に分布し,塩酸可溶性区分からは特定の蛋白質は検出されなかった。

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和歌山,奈良および大阪地区の一般家庭で飼育されている大型犬について栄養調査を実施した。その一環として飼育状況についても調査し,飼育状況と肥満の発生との関連性を検討した。予防接種のために獣医科病院に来院した大型犬のオーナーを対象に飼イヌの品種,性別,年齢,飼育状況などに関するアンケート調査を実施するとともに,獣医師によるボディ・コンディション・スコアー(BCS)や健康状態の判定などを行った。その結果,体重超過(BCS4)あるいは肥満(BCS5)と判定された大型犬は,それぞれ28.5,17.8%を示し,両者を合わせると肥満傾向にある大型犬は半数近くに達した。品種的にはゴールデン・レトリーバーやラブラドール・レトリーバーで肥満傾向を示すものが多く,また,雌イヌで肥満と判定される割合が高かった。去勢・避妊手術も肥満の発生につながる可能性が示唆され,とくに雄でその傾向は強かった。食餌の回数,飯の種類などとBCSの関係は明確でなかった。しかし,間食を与えられているグループではBCS5の割合が増加した。また,極端に散歩回数が少ないグルー一プでもBCS5が増加する傾向にあった。

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