Chapter 4.5, Problem 13E

Weight Gain Zoologists have studied the daily rate of gain in weight $G$ as a function of daily milk energy intake $M$ during the first month of life in several ungulate (that is, hoofed mammal) species. (Both $M$ and $G$ are measured per unit of mean body weight.) They developed the model

$G=0.067+0.052\log M$

With appropriate units for $M$ and $G$.

a. Draw a graph of $G$ versus $M$. Include values of $M$ up to $0.4\text{unit}$.

b. If the daily milk-energy intake $M$ is $0.3\text{unit}$, what is the daily rate of gain in weight?

c. A zookeeper wants to bottle-feed an elk calf so as to maintain a daily rate of gain in weight $G$ of $0.3\text{unit}$. What must the daily milk-energy intake be?

d. The study cited above noted that “the higher levels of milk ingested per unit of body weight are used with reduced efficiency.” Explain how the shape of the graph supports this statement.