SEASONAL CHANGES IN FOOD CONSUMPTION AND RATE OF GROWTH OF THE ALBINO RAT

Abstract

A survey of food intakes of a large number of rats maintained upon the same diet over a period of yrs. shows that the amounts of food consumed varied with the seasons of the yr., the largest intakes being in the winter mos., the smallest in the summer mos. The difference of the means is many times its probable error. For adult rats, 6 mos. of age and over, the data include over 900 cases for each 3-mo. season; and for rapidly growing rats, 28th-56th day of age, 82-173 cases. The rate of growth of young rats varied in the same way, the greatest gains being made in the winter mos., the least in the summer. This is established for both [male][male] and [female][female] by groups of 159-517 cases each. The food was used most efficiently in the summer as shown by gain made/calorie consumed, least efficiently in the fall.