Digestion in the emu: Low energy and nitrogen requirements of this large ratite bird
1. 1. The emu, the second largest of living birds, has a distribution which includes the arid interior of Australia. 2. 2. Its maintenance requirements for energy and nitrogen were assessed by a series of digestibility trials. 3. 3. In caged emus the maintenance requirement for metabolizable energy...
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| Published in | Comparative biochemistry and physiology. A, Comparative physiology Vol. 75; no. 1; pp. 41 - 45 |
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| Main Authors | , |
| Format | Journal Article |
| Language | English |
| Published |
Elsevier B.V
1983
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| Online Access | Get full text |
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| Summary: | 1.
1. The emu, the second largest of living birds, has a distribution which includes the arid interior of Australia.
2.
2. Its maintenance requirements for energy and nitrogen were assessed by a series of digestibility trials.
3.
3. In caged emus the maintenance requirement for metabolizable energy was 284 kJ/kg
0.75 per day and the maintenance requirement for nitrogen was 0.09 g N kg
0.75 per day.
4.
4. Both these values are low when compared with data from other birds.
5.
5. The low energy requirement appears associated with the low basal metabolism of emus.
6.
6. The very low nitrogen requirement, however, may reflect some form of recycling of urinary nitrogen. |
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| ISSN: | 0300-9629 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/0300-9629(83)90041-5 |