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Estimating energy expenditure of animals using the accelerometry technique: activity, inactivity and comparison with the heart-rate technique
Citation
Green, JA and Halsey, LG and Wilson, RP and Frappell, P, Estimating energy expenditure of animals using the accelerometry technique: activity, inactivity and comparison with the heart-rate technique, Journal of Experimental Biology, 212, (4) pp. 471-482. ISSN 0022-0949 (2009) [Refereed Article]
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Abstract
Several methods have been used to estimate the energy expenditure of free-ranging animals. A relatively new technique uses
measures of dynamic body acceleration as a calibrated proxy for energy expenditure and has proved an excellent predictor of
energy expenditure in active animals. However, some animals can spend much of their time inactive and still expend energy at
varying rates for a range of physiological processes. We tested the utility of dynamic body acceleration to estimate energy
expenditure during a range of active (locomotion, eating) and inactive (digesting, thermoregulating) behaviours exhibited by
domestic chickens. We also compared this technique with the more established heart-rate method for estimating energy
expenditure. During activity, the error of estimation using body acceleration was very similar to that from the heart-rate method.
Importantly, our results also showed that body acceleration can be used to estimate energy expenditure when birds are inactive.
While the errors surrounding these estimates were greater than those during activity, and those made using the heart-rate
method, they were less than those made using interspecific allometric equations. We highlight the importance of selecting a
methodology that is appropriate for the life-history of the subject animal. We suggest that, to achieve the greatest possible
accuracy and precision when estimating energy expenditure in free-ranging animals, the two techniques should be combined, and
both heart rate (fH) and dynamic body acceleration could be included as covariates in predictive models. Alternatively, measures
of acceleration can be used to ascertain which behaviour is being exhibited at each moment and hence which predictive model
should be applied.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | accelerometry, heart rate, energetics, chicken, SDA, thermoregulation |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Zoology |
Research Field: | Comparative physiology |
Objective Division: | Animal Production and Animal Primary Products |
Objective Group: | Other animal production and animal primary products |
Objective Field: | Animal welfare |
UTAS Author: | Frappell, P (Professor Peter Frappell) |
ID Code: | 62577 |
Year Published: | 2009 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 101 |
Deposited By: | Zoology |
Deposited On: | 2010-03-12 |
Last Modified: | 2014-11-24 |
Downloads: | 455 View Download Statistics |
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