Metabolizability and partitioning of energy and protein in green plants by yearling Lesser Snow Geese

Estimates of metabolizability of organic matter, gross energy, nitrogen and cell wall parts of pelleted alfalfa by Lesser Snow Geese suggested correlations between body size of these birds and patterns of energy processing. These species and most other herbivorous birds, despite having good rates of energy-retention, seem to lose energy in the form of heat generated while eating.