[Effect of the distribution of hay and cereals on the cellulolytic activity in the large intestine of the pony].

The cellulolytic activity in the large intestine of the pony varies according to the form and the composition of the feed. This activity was measured on two caecal and ventral colon-cannulated ponies receiving the following 4 diets during four successive 6-week periods: --6 kg of hay, --4 kg of hay + 1 kg of oats, --6 kg of ground, pelleted hay. --5 kg of a ground, pelleted blend of 80 p. 100 hay and 20 p. 100 oats. Adding oats to a hay feed increased the cellulolytical activity in the caecum and the colon, whereas grinding and pelleting hay alone or hay enriched with oats diminished that activity in the caecum without modifying it in the colon (table 1). The volatile fatty acid production shown in table 2 does not always vary in the same way as cellulolytic activity; this might be due to some variations in the values of the digestive contents in the two compartments.