Respiration in exercising fowl. I. Oxygen consumption, respiratory rate and respired gases.

1. Oxygen consumption, respiratory frequency, and the PO2 of expiratory and interclavicular air sac gases were continuously monitored in six female domestic fowl trained to exercise on a treadmill for 10 min periods at normal or elevated air temperatures. 2. At normal temperatures (20 +/- 2 degrees C) the cost of locomotion rose from 0.46 ml O2 kg-1 m-1 at 0-3 km h-1 to 0.77 ml O2 kg-1 m-1 at the maximum speed of 4.3 km h-1. At 32 +/- 2 degrees C, Vo2 increased by as much as 20% compared to normal temperatures. 3. Hyperventilation occurred at all speeds and at both normal and elevated temperatures. End-tidal and interclavicular PO2 increased, in a parallel manner with speed, the latter remaining consistently 6-7 Torr less than the former both at rest and during exercise.