Adu, E.K.Awotwi, E.K.Amaning-Kwarteng, K.Awumbila, B.2019-01-182019-01-182012-04Adu, E.K., Awotwi, E.K., Amaning-Kwarteng, K. et al. Trop Anim Health Prod (2012) 44: 881. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-9982-2Volume 44, Issue 4, pp 881–886https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-9982-2http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/26897The metabolic fecal nitrogen and digestibility estimates in the grasscutter were determined using 12 captive-bred adult animals fed with four experimental diets differing primarily in crude protein content using nitrogen balance trial approach. Grasscutters required 343.5 mg N kg -0.75 d -1 of nitrogen to meet maintenance requirements, which were met on diets containing 7.4% crude protein. The true digestibility of nitrogen was moderate (52%) but within the range for eutherians. Dry matter intake increased with decreasing dietary nitrogen content, suggesting that animals on nitrogen-deficient diets displayed appreciable compensatory intake. Metabolic fecal nitrogen was 3.5 g N kg -1 dry matter intake, and endogenous urinary nitrogen was 257.5 mg N kg -0.75 d -1. The low value of metabolic fecal nitrogen found for grasscutters affected the dry matter intake required for nitrogen balance, and it may allow grasscutters to exploit nitrogen poor diets. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.enEndogenous urinary nitrogenGrasscutterMetabolic fecal nitrogenThryonomys swinderianusTrue nitrogen digestibilityArticle