Animal Nutrition

REASONS WHY ANIMALS NEED FEED

MAINTENANCE

GROWTH

REPRODUCTION

LACTATION

WORKING

OTHER PRODUCTS AND USES

WAYS ANIMALS USE NUTRIENTS TO MAINTAIN THEMSELVES

Used to keep the body warm

Replace old cells

Run the internal organs and for body movement

Six Essential Nutrients

1. Water 4. Protein

2. Carbohydrates 5. Minerals

3. Fats 6. Vitamins

Water (H2O)

Controls body temperature.

Enables living plants and animals to hold their shape.

Involves the transport of nutrients at the cell level through osmosis and diffusion.

Helps digest feeds.

Carries waste-products resulting from body functions.

Major part of all body fluids.

Carbohydrates (C6H12O6)

Furnishes energy for:A. body functionsB. growth and fatteningC. reproduction

The largest part of an animal’s food supply (usually the roughage in the diet).

Includes sugars, starchs, and cellulose.

Made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Fats

Furnishes a concentrated source of energy. (2.25 times as much energy as C6H12O.)Forms cholesterol, steroids, and other body compounds.Found in every cell in the body.Skin and hair conditions are affected when fat is absent from the diet.Provides: Energy reserves

Protection for vital organs Insulation for the body

Made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Proteins

Needed for growth and repair of the body.

Helps form the greater part of:

A. muscles and internal organs.

B. skin, hair, wool, and feathers.

C. hoofs and horns.

Contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

Minerals

Potassium, phosphorous, and calcium are necessary for healthy bones.

Salt (NaCl) is important in most body functions (i.e. appearance, growth, appetite).

Iron is required for healthy blood and skin.

Most other minerals are essential, but are required in smaller amounts.

Vitamins

Needed in minute amounts.

Essential for life and health.

Catalyst for body processes.

Promotes growth and reproduction.

Contributes to the general health of the animal.

TWO GENERAL CLASSES OF FEEDSTUFFS

Concentrates:Feeds that are low in fiber & high in

total digestible nutrients.

Oats: When an animal only consumes the seed.

Roughages

Feeds that are high in fiber & low in total digestible

nutrients.

Oat Hay: When an animalconsumes the seeds,leaves, and stalk.

DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENT

A digestible nutrient is the part of a feedstuff that can be digested, or broken down.

Fiber in roughage is not easily digested.

Ruminants and horses are efficient users of roughage.

TERMS

RATION: The total amount of feed an animal gets in a 24 hour period.

BALANCED RATION: A ration that provides all of the nutrients needed by the animal in the right amount and proportion.

DIET: Type and amount of feed and water an animal eats

THREE TYPES OF ROUGHAGE FOR ANIMALS

PASTURE- Land where grasses and other plants grow for animals to graze

HAY- Made of the leaves and stems of plants that have been cut and dried for feed

SILAGE- Made from cut green plants by chopping them into small pieces and placing the “chop” in a silo

EXAMPLES OF GRAIN CONCENTRATES

Grains are high in TDN but do not provide a balanced ration.

Examples include corn, oats, wheat and grain sorghum.

Corn is the most widely used grain.

SOURCES OF PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS

Protein supplements are high in TDN and high in protein.Three types:Animal - meat scraps and tankage, blood meal, fish meal, and skim milkPlant- soybean oil meal, cotton seed meal and various grain by-products.Synthetic- Urea, molasses, rice hulls, and citrus pulp treated with ammonia.

FEED ADDITIVES

Placed in feed while it is being manufactured to preserve it and enhance growth of the animals.

Medications

Wormers

Marketing enhancement

Antioxidants

IMPLANTS AND INJECTIONS

Implants involve placing solid materials under the skin.Injections involve using hypodermic needles and syringes to get a substance into the body system of an animal.Examples are BST to increase milk production in dairy cows and fish may be injected to encourage spawning.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SELECTING FEED FOR ANIMALS

NUTRIENT CONTENT

PALATABILITY

FREE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

VARIETY

BULKINESS

COST

FEED STORAGE

THREE FORMS IN WHICH ROUGHAGE IS FED

BALES

LOOSE CHOP

PELLETS AND WAFERS

WAYS CONCENTRATES ARE MADE INTO FORMS OF FEED

CRACKING AND ROLLING

GRINDING

EXTRUDING

WAYS SUPPLEMENTS ARE PREPARED

BLOCKS - Salt or mineral block

LIQUIDS - Molasses

MIXES - Salt, protein sources and other materials

Measurements of Feed

As-fed - contains amount of water it usually does when fed to livestock

Dry Matter - feed left after water is removed

CWT = hundred weight

Calculating Dry Matter

Grind and weigh (as fed)

dry in oven

weigh sample again

divide dry weight by as fed weight and multiply by 100%

Example of calculating dry matter %

4.1 lb original weight of feed and container - 0.1 weight of container = 4.0

3.5 lb. Weight of dry feed and container - 0.1 weight of container = 3.4

3.4/4.0 = 0.85 x 100% = 85% dry matter