Effect of the Brown Midrib-three Gene on Corn Grain U T I L I Z a T I O N by Growing Rats 1'2'3

A study was conducted to determine the effect of the brown midrib-three (bin3) gene for low lignin in corn plants on grain utilization by growing rats. No differences in total body weight gain were observed between rats fed bin3, normal and iso-N bin3 (isonitrogenous to normal) grain diets with or without supplemental dietary protein. Body weight gains for rats fed bm3, normal and iso-N bin3 grain diets were 39.6, 35.2 and 31.6 g, respectively, when no supplemental protein was fed, and 134.6, 142.1 and 132.2 g when supplemental protein as soy protein was fed to increase crude protein to 11 to 12%. No differences in feed conversion were observed between rats fed bin3, normal and iso-N bin3 grain diets at either level of dietary protein. Feed to gain ratios were 8.7, 9.4 and 10.7 when no supplemental protein was fed and 3.2, 3.2 and 3.4 when supplemental protein was fed. According to this study, the bm3 gene has no effect on grain utilization by the growing rat. (