Taking into account the nutritional imbalances and deficiencies of
giant pandas', researchers from the
Chengdu Research Base of Giant
Panda Breeding have recently developed China's first ever
high-fiber nutritional biscuits for the giant animals. News of the
biscuit was recently released at the Chinese Giant Panda
Reproduction Technology Committee's annual meeting. It has taken
two year's of experimentation, design, technical improvement,
analysis and testing. The nationally treasured Chinese giant pandas
will now eat specially-made high-fiber nutritional biscuits as part
of their staple diet.
The biscuits are milk-yellow hollow column-shaped bars, each about
15 centimeters in length, and designed to resemble bamboo. Warmly
referred to by researchers as the bamboo biscuit,' this all-round
biscuit' is a scientifically produced compound offering balanced
nutrition. The biscuits not only supply the energy needs of the
giant panda, but also contain abundant microelements and vitamins
with 30 percent fiber. Besides being sanitary they can be used to
feed the giant animals anywhere anytime.
Some 30 giant pandas including Ya Ya, Bing Bing and Jiao Zi,
inhabitants of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding,
have already become fond of the biscuits. Several baby giant
pandas, already one year old, have shown a special love for the
bamboo biscuit.'
A
production line for the biscuits has been established at the
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It can produce
batches of the bamboo biscuit' in eight different shapes and
sizes.
(china.org.cn translated by Zhang Tingting November 25, 2002)