Small Animal/Exotics
EXOTICS ROUNDS
Calculating the Required Volume
of Avian Nutritional Products
Joe Bartges, DVM, PhD, Diplomate
ACVIM, ACVN
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Branson W. Ritchie, DVM, PhD,
Diplomate ABVP
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
ABSTRACT: Nutritional support is impor-
tant in the management of avian patients
that are ill or recovering from trauma or
surgical procedures. Provision of adequate
calories is essential during convalescence.
This column provides formulas for calcu-
lating caloric requirements for avian pa-
tients.
N
utritional support is frequent-
ly necessary to facilitate re-
covery of anorectic birds after
severe trauma or surgery. Although nu-
trients can be provided parenterally, it
is preferable to use the enteral route
when possible.1 In most cases, enteral
feedings are provided through a ster-
ile tube placed in the crop; however,
techniques have been described for
placing tubes directly in the duode-
num or through the esophagus and
into the proventriculus.2
Determining Caloric Needs
The caloric needs of a bird can be
estimated using the following formula:
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) =
K × weight [kg] 0.75
20TH ANNIVERSARY Compendium August 1999
where K, which represents a theoretic 4.6 kg), press the y x function key, en-
constant for kilocalories used per day, ter 0.75, and press the equal key. The
is 78 for nonpasserine birds (e.g., psit- answer that should be displayed is
tacines, raptors, waterfowl) and 129 3.141003163; to complete the calcu-
and for passerine birds (e.g., canaries, lation of BMR, multiply 3.141003163
finches, mynahs). The BMR is used to by the K value (in this case, 78), which
calculate the maintenance energy re- provides an answer of 244.9982467.
quirement (MER). In nonpasserine Thus the BMR for this swan is ap-
birds, the MER is 1.5 multiplied by proximately 245 kcal/day.
the BMR and can be
adjusted by the clinician
■ Recovery from disease or trauma is delayed when
by a factor of 1 to 5 if an animal has a negative nitrogen and energy
additional energy is need- balance.
KEY POINTS
ed to compensate for
■ Supplemental nutrition can be used to ensure a
growth, stress, trauma,
1 positive nitrogen and energy balance in animals
surgery, or sepsis. with anorexia, chronic disease, or trauma.
For example, a 4.6-
kg immature swan that ■ Determining the quantity of nutritional prod-
ucts required involves simple, straightforward
is not eating the day
calculations.
after surgery requires
assisted feeding with a
commercial hand-feeding formula. To calculate the MER, multiply
The caloric requirements can be esti- the BMR calculated in the previous
mated using one of two methods. step by 1.5 (the adjustment factor
for nonpasserine birds).
Using a Scientific Calculator
MER = 1.5 × BMR
To calculate weight in kilograms
MER = 1.5 × 245 kcal/day
raised to the 0.75 power, use the y x
MER = 367.4973401 kcal/day
function key on a scientific calcula-
tor by performing the following steps: Because this swan had surgery and
Enter the animal’s weight (in this case, was anorectic, its energy requirements
Exotics Rounds deviates a bit from the normal content of Compendium.
Because little information has been published in many areas of exotic animal
medicine, emerging disease issues are frequently as important to clinicians as are
review articles. We hope that the format of this new column will help to
disseminate needed information to practitioners who treat exotic animals.
Readers interested in submitting papers for Exotics Rounds can contact Dr.
Branson Ritchie, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia,
Athens, GA 30602; 706-542-6316; fax 706-542-6460; email britchie@
cvm.vet.uga.edu.
Compendium August 1999 20TH ANNIVERSARY
would be greater than those of clinically normal patients.
Therefore, in an attempt to compensate for the hyperme-
tabolism of illness and surgery, the MER must be multi-
plied by an adjustment factor based on the problems of the
patient. A factor of 2 would be chosen for the swan in this
case.
Adjusted MER = MER × 2
Adjusted MER = 367 kcal/day × 2
Thus the adjusted MER for this swan while convalescing is
approximately 735 kcal/day.
Without a Scientific Calculator
The BMR may be calculated without a scientific calcula-
tor if a calculator with a square-root key is available. To cal-
culate weight in kilograms raised to the 0.75 power using
this type of calculator, begin by cubing the body weight in
kilograms for an answer of 97.336. Next, take the square
root of this number twice (the square root of 97.336 is
9.865900871; the square root of 9.865900871 is
3.141003163). Multiply 3.141003163 by the K factor of
78, and the BMR is approximately 245 kcal/day—the
same value calculated using a scientific calculator. MER and
adjusted MER are calculated in the same manner as when
using a scientific calculator.
Determining Required Food Volume
To ascertain the quantity of food necessary to meet a
bird’s caloric requirements, the kilocalories available from
each milliliter or gram of food must be determined. The
kilocalories/milliliter amount is provided for commercial
liquid enteral nutrition products. However, the kilocalo-
ries available in each gram of a powdered, hand-feeding
formula must be calculated using the percentages of pro-
tein, fat, fiber, ash, and moisture. For most dry products,
the moisture content is 10% or less. To determine the
quantity of food necessary to meet an MER of approxi-
mately 735 kcal/day, the number of kilocalories per 100 g
of dry formula can be calculated as follows:
Small Animal/Exotics
kcal/100 g dry formula =
(% Protein × 3.5 kcal/g) +
(% Fat × 8.5 kcal/g) +
(% Carbohydrates × 3.5 kcal/g)
The information provided by the manufacturer indicated
that each 100 g of dry product contained 20% protein,
7% fat, 4% fiber, and 2% ash, and it was estimated that
the product contained 10% moisture. The percentage of
carbohydrates can be determined by adding the percent-
ages of protein, fat, fiber, ash, and moisture and subtract-
ing the total from 100.
% Carbohydrates =
100 – (% protein + % fat + % fiber + % ash + % moisture)
% Carbohydrates = 100 – (20 + 7 + 4 + 2 + 10)
% Carbohydrates = 100 – 43
% Carbohydrates = 57
Therefore, the energy density of the food is calculated as
follows:
kcal/100 g dry formula =
(20 × 3.5 kcal/g) + (7 × 8.5 kcal/g) + (57 × 3.5 kcal/g)
kcal/100 g = 70 kcal/g + 59.5 kcal/g + 199.5 kcal/g
Thus the dry formula contains 229 kcal/100 g. As deter-
mined above, the swan needs 735 kcal/day to meet energy
demands. The swan therefore needs approximately 223 g
(i.e., 735 kcal/day ÷ 329 kcal/100 g of formula) of formula
daily to meet its energy requirements. The 223 g of formu-
la can be divided into three to six feedings of approximate-
ly 37 to 74 g each, depending on how much volume per
feeding the bird is able to tolerate.
References
1. Quesenberry KE, Hillyer EV: Supportive care and emergency thera-
py, in Ritchie BW, Harrison GR, Harrison LR (eds): Avian
Medicine: Principles and Application. Lake Worth, FL, Wingers Pub-
lishing, 1994, pp 382–416.
2. Bennett RA, Harrison GJ: Soft tissue surgery, in Ritchie BW, Harri-
son GR, Harrison LR (eds): Avian Medicine: Principles and Applica-
tion. Lake Worth, FL, Wingers Publishing, 1994, pp 1096–1136.