Abstract
Nitrogen and energy requirements of the growing brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula and the Rex rabbit were studied by means of growth, balance and calorimetry techniques in 2 trials. The maintenance requirements of apparently digestible N were estimated from balance as being 358 and 442 mg/kg0.75 daily for the possums and rabbit, respectively. The standard metabolic rates were 200 and 359 kJ/kg0.75 daily; requirements of apparently digestible energy for maintenance were 370 and 480 kJ/kg daily. The possums grew more slowly over the same weight range as the rabbits and deposited a greater proportion of their gain as fat. At the end of both trials the possums had a greater proportion of carcass fat than the rabbits, and both experimental groups of rabbits and possums were fatter than feral possums of the same weight.
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