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Digestibility studies were carried out to establish the inter-relationship between crude fibre and total lipid digestibility in the presence of added calcium or non-ionic detergents. Three levels of calcium, corresponding to daily intakes of 2-3, 4-8 and 22-9 g per sheep, were used in a predominantly ground barley diet (65 to 73 %) to which was added 8 % beef tallow or maize oil. Two non-ionic detergents were used at 0-1 % of the diet: nonyl phenol ethylene oxide and fatty alcohol combined with 3 molecules of ethylene oxide. With a daily intake of 2-3 or 4-8 g calcium per sheep, supplementation with fat resulted in a reduced fibre digestibility. When the intake was increased to 22-9 g, there was a significant improvement (P<005) only for the maize-oil-supplemented diet. Increasing calcium intake, associated with increased calcium digestibility, significantly (P<0-05) depressed total lipid digestibility. Intake of 4-8 g calcium per day was associated with the highest calcium digestibility of 33% digestibility units and the total lipid digestibility of 94%. Maize oil was better digested than beef tallow with the lower level of calcium; the position was reversed with the higher level of calcium supplementation. No advantages were found for crude fibre and total lipid digestibility when detergents were added. A possible mechanism by which the physical wetting of dietary lipids causes decreased digestibility of the fibre component is discussed.

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