Activity and energy expenditure in laying hens: 3. The energy cost of eating and posture

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Abstract
The influence of standing, spontaneous activity and eating on heat production was determined.The extra heat production of standing is negatively correlated with the length of standing period. In a short standing period of 30 min the associated activity, pecking against the respirometer wall and fluffing the feathers, was high and the heat production was increased by 25% compared with that during sitting. After standing for 1½ h spontaneous activity was very low and the difference in heat production between the standing and sitting bird was reduced by 9%.During eating the heat production increased by an average of 37% (range 11–68%); this was due mainly to the act of eating per se and not to the work of digestion.The mean energy cost of eating was calculated to be 143 J/kg0·75/min spent eating.

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