Energy Required for the Avian Patient

Calculation of Energy Required for the Avian Patient

The generally recognized formula for calculation of metabolic rate is:

MR (kcal) = K(Wkg0.75)**

Active metabolic rate is somewhat greater than that of a resting bird. For simplicity we will use the value 1.5.

Active MR (kcal) = 1.5 X MR (kcal)***

An adjustment factor for growth, trauma and disease as expressed as multiple of MR. 1

Condition Adjustment
starvation 0.5-0.7
hypometabolism 0.5-0.9
elective surgery 1.0-1.2
mild trauma 1.0-1.2
severe trauma 1.1-2.0
growth 1.5-3.0
sepsis 1.2-1.5
burn 1.2-2.0
head injury 1.0-2.0

Energy requirement (kcal) = Adjustment factor X Active MR (kcal)

Volume of feeding formula (mL) = Energy requirement (kcal) ¸ caloric density of the feeding formula (kcal/mL)


 

* Modified from Quesenbery KE, Mauldin G, Hillyer E. Nutritional support of the Avian Patient Proc Assoc Avian Vet, Seattle, 1989, pp. 11-19.

** Resting or maintenance metabolic rate (MR), W is the animals body weight in kg, K is a theoretical constant (for calculation of MR in kcals). Passerine birds K = 129 Nonpasserine birds K = 78. 0.75 is the slope of the metabolic regression line that has been shown to correlate size and MR.

*** The difference between resting (inactive) and active birds has been reported to be 1.24 to 1.23 2 to 1.1 to 1.4.

1. Whittow GC: Regulation of body temperature, in Sturkie PD (ed): Avian Physiology (ed 4). New York, NY, Springer-Verlag, 1986, pp. 222-246.

2. Knut Schmidt-Nielsen, Scaling: Why is animal size so important? Cambridge University Press, 1984.

 

 

2 thoughts on “Energy Required for the Avian Patient”

  1. My bird has this weird thing on her face. The pet shop assured my mum it was only baby food stuck to the side of her face but I’m not so sur. it looks like it has feathers and feathery bits sticking out of it. It also looks kinda fleshy. I’ll take a photo and post it here:
    https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lazerusagi

    Thanks! I want a vets opinion…

    Reply
  2. My bird has this weird thing on her face. The pet shop assured my mum it was only baby food stuck to the side of her face but I’m not so sur. it looks like it has feathers and feathery bits sticking out of it. It also looks kinda fleshy. I’ll take a photo and post it here:
    https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lazerusagi

    Thanks! I want a vets opinion……

    Reply

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