Animal Nutrition Basics

• Animal nutrition and feeding is the study of nutrients animals require to live and grow.

Nutrition

• Nutrition is a branch of biology.
• Nutrition is the science and practice of feeding animals.
• Nutrition is the process by which animals ingest, digest, absorb and use nutrients in feed for maintenance, growth, work, and reproduction.
• Proper animal nutrition leads to good health, increased productivity, increased feed efficiency and well-being.

Nutrients

• A nutrient is a substance that is necessary for an organism to live and grow.
• Nutrients make it possible for animals to carry out life processes.
• Nutrients are typically provided to animals through feed and water.
• Farm animals primarily get their nutrients from plants, plant products and by-products, and animal products.
• Plants like grasses, forage crops, and legumes provide farm animals with nutrients.
• Plant products and by-products like grains (corn, rice, wheat), rice bran, wheat middlings, copra meal and soybean meal.
• Animals products like bone meal, fish meal, meat meal, shrimp meal, and milk provide farm animals with nutrients.

Essential Nutrients

• The six essential nutrients are water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins.

Water

• Water is necessary for an animal to live; they can live longer without food.
• Water is the component of nearly all living things.
• Water makes up 50-75% of an animal's body weight.
• Water transports nutrients, aids in digestion, removes wastes, helps maintain body temperature and is required for milk production.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are energy-producing nutrients with the formula C6H12O6, also known as glucose.
• An animal's diet should consist of at least 75% carbohydrates.
• Animals need energy for metabolic activity, physical work, meat, egg and milk production.
• Simple sugars, like glucose, fructose and galactose are monosaccharides.
• Maltose, sucrose and lactose are disaccharides.
• Starch, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are polysaccharides.
• Carbohydrates can be sourced from pasture grasses, plant products and by-products (root crops, fruits, seeds, grains, rice bran, wheat bran).

Energy Deficiency

• Energy deficiency, including a lack of carbohydrates, is the most common nutritional deficiency that limits the performance of grazing animals.
• Inadequate feed can result from overgrazing, drought, poor quality/digestibility feed, or feed cost.
• Forage may have too much water, thereby limiting energy intake.
• Energy deficiencies in animals result in retarded growth, delayed puberty, shortened lactation, decreased milk production and marked loss of weight.
• Prolonged anestrus periods and weak or undersized offspring may also result from energy deficiencies.

Protein

• Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.
• Animals require protein for building new cells and tissues (including muscles), milk, wool, hair and feather production; body maintenance and the production of enzymes and hormones.
• Protein can be sourced from pasture legumes.
• Animals products like fish meal, bone meal, milk, meat meal, and blood meal are sources of protein.

Protein Deficiency

• Protein deficiency often accompanies energy deficiencies but is, typically, not as severe.
• Reduced appetite, lowered feed intake, lack of muscle development, prolonged maturity time, loss of weight and decreased milk production are all effects of protein deficiency.

Fats & Lipids

• Fats and lipids are made of fatty acids and glycerol, and contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
• Fats have 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates.
• Fats supply and store energy where excess carbohydrates are stored as fat.
• Fats are stored under the skin without the muscle tissues and under the abdominal activity.
• Fats can be sourced from oilseed meals (copra, canola, linseed), vegetable oils, tallow and lard.

Vitamins

• Vitamins are organic compounds needed in small quantities for healthy growth and development.
• Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K.
• Water-soluble vitamins include vitamins B and C.
• Vitamins are essential for the proper utilization of proteins, fats and carbs, the clotting of blood and the formation of bone.
• They also play a role in reproduction and lactation and they can help with the prevention of certain nervous disorders.

Vitamin Deficiency

• Vitamin deficiency can result in retarded growth, poor reproduction, hemorrhaging, diarrhea, night blindness, a rough coat and muscular problems.
• You can source vitamins from green pasture grasses and legumes, legume hays, silage, cereal grains, oil seeds, sunlight, and injectable/packet vitamins.

Minerals

• Minerals promote healthy growth and development.
• There are 16 essential minerals divided into macro and micro minerals, all with a specific role in the animal's body.
• Calcium and phosphorus promote strong teeth and bones and strong eggshells, and they also prevent milk fever in dairy cattle.
• Mineral sources include green pasture grasses and forages, legumes (including pasture legumes), cereal grains (corn, rice, sorghum), mineral licks (salt licks and blocks) and fish, bone and shrimp meal.

Composition of the Animal Body

• J.B. Lawes and J.H. Gilbert analyzed the bodies of farm animals and published it in 1859.
• The level of water and fat varies inversely.
• The composition of fat-free body water, protein and ash is 19:5:1 (74-76%: 20-22%: 3-5%).
• In fat and moisture-free bodies, protein and ash is 80:20.
• Body composition of a moisture and fat-free body is constant.

Animal Body

• Water content decreases as age increases.
• A cattle embryo contains 95% water, a newborn calf contains 75-80% water, a 5-month old calf contains 66-72% water and a mature animal contains 50-70% water.
• Distribution of water within the body is not uniform.
• Blood plasma contains approximately 90-92% water.
• The heart, kidneys and lungs contain approximately 80% water.
• Muscles contain approximately 75% water.
• Bones contain approximately 45% water.
• Teeth enamel contains only approximately 5% water.
• Water content depends on an animal's nutritional status.
• Protein and some inorganic elements affect the structure of an animal's body.
• Protein is a major constituent of dry matter in muscles and other body organs.
• Muscles contain almost 75-80% protein.
• Protein is also present in hair, nails, feathers, hooves, skin, wool, tendons and bones.
• Fat tends to be the most variable of all body components and increases with age.
• Fat is usually found in adipose tissues which are found under the skin, around the kidney, intestines, and other body organs.
• Carbohydrates are only about 1% of the total animal body.
• Carbohydrates are constantly formed and broken down and mostly exist as glucose or glycogen in the muscles and liver.
• Calcium and phosphorus are minerals that appear in in the largest amounts in the body and almost entirely exist in teeth and bones.
• Phosphorus is also present in association with protein, fats and other inorganic salts.
• Calcium and phosphorus make up for 70% of body ash.
• Sodium, potassium and chloride are present in the inorganic form in various fluids.
• Other minerals form components of tissues, fluids and enzymes.