Studies on the metabolism of the ruminant by indirect calorimetry. I. The influence of variations in the external temperature on the energy exchange of the goat

Abstract

In calorimetric work the ideal experimental conditions are that all factors capable of influencing metabolism, except the one whose influence is the object of investigation, should be made constant or otherwise accounted for. It was while striving to attain such conditions that the necessity for this study arose.During an investigation into the effect of food ingestion on the basal metabolism of the goat by the method of indirect calorimetry described by Orr and Magee(1) it was deemed inadvisable to ignore the diurnal variations in external temperature, and, consequently, it was decided to submit the animal to varying changes of external temperature and to determine their effect upon its basal metabolism. It was the special objective of the experiments to ascertain the critical temperature of the goat or the temperature at which the vital processes of the animal are most economically maintained.