Abstract
Breeding rats were fed upon diets containing respectively one sixth whole milk powder to five sixths ground whole wheat or one third whole milk powder to two thirds ground whole wheat. Young were successfully reared on both diets and both would be regarded as adequate for growth, reproduction and successful suckling of the second generation. The larger proportion of milk in the second diet resulted in the following evidences of improved nutrition: (1) Increase in the number of young produced. (2) Increase in the percentage (and therefore also in the number) of young successfully suckled. (3) Better maintenance of the body weight by the mother while suckling the young. (4) Higher average weight of young at a standard weaning age of four weeks. (5) More economical utilization of the calories of food consumed (as well as of the body material of the mother) in the rearing of the young to weaning age.
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