Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:15:48.139Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The feeding of sledge dogs on Antarctic expeditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

N. W. M. Orr
N. W. M. Orr
Affiliation:
National Institute for Medical Research, Division of Human Physiology, Medical Research Council, Hampstead, London, NW3
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. The diets of sledge dogs at a British Antarctic sledging base were studied both at base and during sledge journeys, and samples of the diets and the relevant faeces were analysed. Changes in weight were related to calorie intakes.

2. The calorific requirements of sledge dogs were found to vary considerably from dog to dog and depended on the activity in which the dogs were involved. Whereas 2500 kcal/dog daily were just sufficient to maintain the body-weight of a completely idle dog, 5000 kcal/dog were insufficient to maintain the body-weight of a dog pulling a heavy sledge over long distances.

3. Seal meat was found to be the most beneficial and most satisfactorily absorbed diet. The artificial diets, pemmican and Nutrican, were adequate to maintain body-weight if sufficient supplies were available to give dogs as much as twice the routine ration, but were uneconomical in that large quantities of nutrients were passed in the faeces.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , February 1966 , pp. 1 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1966

References

Croft, A. (1937). Polar Rec. 2, 68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hadwen, S. (1937). Polar Rec. 2, 59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, E. J. (1946). Microanalysis in Medical Biochemistry. London: J. and A. Churchill.Google Scholar
McCance, R. A. &Widdowson, E. M. (1960). Spec. Rep. Ser. med. Res. Coun. no. 297.Google Scholar
Rokeby-Thomas, H. R. (1939). Geogrl J. 93, 424.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, R. J. F., Worden, A. N. &Waterhouse, C. E. (1959). Br. J. Nutr. 13, 1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wyatt, H. T. (1963). Br. J. Nutr. 17, 273.Google Scholar