a farmer wants to choose the most efficient way of producing meat. She compares the rate of food consumption of one steer and 300 rabbits (which have the same total mass). She measures their relative rates of converting the food into biomass. Copy the table below into your notebook. Make the calculations needed to complete the table, and then answer the questions that follow.
Animal | 1 steer | 300 rabbits
Total body mass| 590kg | 590kg
Food consumed
per day | 7.5kg | 30kg
Gain in mass
per day | 0.9kg | 3.6kg
DAys Taken to
consume 1000kg hay|"blank"|"blank"
Total gain in
mass after consuming
1000kg hay |"blank"| blank
a) is there any significant difference between the gain in mass by the steer or the rabbits?
b) which animal converts the hay into animal biomass faster? By how much is it faster?
c) Based on your analysis, which animals do you think the farmer should raise? Explain your answer.
11 answers