Introduction to Nutrition 1.5

Ruminant Animals and Protein Requirements

• Ruminant animals, such as cattle, have a unique nutritional requirement due to their rumen fermentation process, which synthesizes essential amino acids.
• The rumen's fermentation process provides essential amino acids to the animal, reducing their dietary requirement.

High Protein Feeds

• High protein feeds are commonly referred to as 'meals' and often consist of by-products from other manufacturing processes.
• High protein feeds are generally expensive and should be provided in moderation to avoid excess in the diet.

Protein Needs and Production Level

• High-producing animals require a higher protein intake in their diet compared to lower-producing animals.

Ruminant Animals and Protein

• Ruminant animals, such as cattle, do not require essential amino acids in their diet due to the fermentation process in the rumen, which provides these nutrients.
• High protein feeds, known as "meals", are often by-products from the manufacture of other products.
• High protein feeds are typically expensive and should be provided in moderation to avoid excess.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for animals.
• They are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
• Carbohydrates are primarily derived from plants.
• Common sources of carbohydrates include grains, wheat, oats, and barley.

Types of Carbohydrates

• Monosaccharides: simple sugars, including:
  • Glucose
  • Fructose (found in fruit)
  • Galactose (found in milk)
• Saccharides: complex sugars, including:
  • Table sugar (comprised of glucose and fructose molecules)
  • Lactose (milk sugar, made up of glucose and galactose molecules)

Ruminant Animals and Protein

• Ruminant animals, such as cattle, do not require essential amino acids in their diet due to the fermentation process in the rumen, which provides these nutrients.
• High protein feeds, known as "meals", are often by-products from the manufacture of other products.
• High protein feeds are typically expensive and should be provided in moderation to avoid excess.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for animals.
• They are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
• Carbohydrates are primarily derived from plants.
• Common sources of carbohydrates include grains, wheat, oats, and barley.

Types of Carbohydrates

• Monosaccharides: simple sugars, including:
  • Glucose
  • Fructose (found in fruit)
  • Galactose (found in milk)
• Saccharides: complex sugars, including:
  • Table sugar (comprised of glucose and fructose molecules)
  • Lactose (milk sugar, made up of glucose and galactose molecules)

Ruminant Animals and Protein

• Ruminant animals, such as cattle, do not require essential amino acids in their diet due to the fermentation process in the rumen, which provides these nutrients.
• High protein feeds, known as "meals", are often by-products from the manufacture of other products.
• High protein feeds are typically expensive and should be provided in moderation to avoid excess.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for animals.
• They are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
• Carbohydrates are primarily derived from plants.
• Common sources of carbohydrates include grains, wheat, oats, and barley.

Types of Carbohydrates

• Monosaccharides: simple sugars, including:
  • Glucose
  • Fructose (found in fruit)
  • Galactose (found in milk)
• Saccharides: complex sugars, including:
  • Table sugar (comprised of glucose and fructose molecules)
  • Lactose (milk sugar, made up of glucose and galactose molecules)

Fats: Lipids and Energy Source

• Fats are a group of organic compounds known as lipids, found in both plants and animals.
• They provide and store energy in the long term, offering twice the energy of protein and carbohydrates.
• Fats serve as a cushion for vital organs, acting as a shock absorber.
• They are critical for building new cells and are essential for brain development and nerve function.
• Essential fatty acids are necessary for the production of some hormones and hormone-like substances.

Lipids (Fats)

• Group of organic compounds that provide and store energy long-term
• Found in plants and animals
• Provide twice the energy of protein and carbohydrates
• Cushion vital organs, acting as a shock absorber
• Essential for building new cells and critical for brain development and nerve function

Essential Fatty Acids

• Necessary for production of some hormones and hormone-like substances

Minerals

• Inorganic substances that provide structural support for the animal
• Essential for construction of bones (calcium and phosphorous), egg shells (calcium), muscles, blood cells, internal organs, and enzymes
• Often added to feed in their chemical form
• Can be fed free choice, such as with salt blocks

Lipids (Fats)

• Group of organic compounds that provide and store energy long-term
• Found in plants and animals
• Provide twice the energy of protein and carbohydrates
• Cushion vital organs, acting as a shock absorber
• Essential for building new cells and critical for brain development and nerve function

Essential Fatty Acids

• Necessary for production of some hormones and hormone-like substances

Minerals

• Inorganic substances that provide structural support for the animal
• Essential for construction of bones (calcium and phosphorous), egg shells (calcium), muscles, blood cells, internal organs, and enzymes
• Often added to feed in their chemical form
• Can be fed free choice, such as with salt blocks

Lipids (Fats)

• Group of organic compounds that provide and store energy long-term
• Found in plants and animals
• Provide twice the energy of protein and carbohydrates
• Cushion vital organs, acting as a shock absorber
• Essential for building new cells and critical for brain development and nerve function

Essential Fatty Acids

• Necessary for production of some hormones and hormone-like substances

Minerals

• Inorganic substances that provide structural support for the animal
• Essential for construction of bones (calcium and phosphorous), egg shells (calcium), muscles, blood cells, internal organs, and enzymes
• Often added to feed in their chemical form
• Can be fed free choice, such as with salt blocks

Vitamins and Micronutrients

• Vitamins are considered micronutrients, essential for normal body processes.
• Vitamins provide animals with the ability to fight stress and disease, and maintain good health.
• Vitamin C helps to ward off the flu.
• Vitamin D is necessary to prevent rickets, a bone degradation disease in Alpacas.

Vitamins and Micronutrients

• Vitamins are considered micronutrients, essential for normal body processes.
• Vitamins provide animals with the ability to fight stress and disease, and maintain good health.
• Vitamin C helps to ward off the flu.
• Vitamin D is necessary to prevent rickets, a bone degradation disease in Alpacas.

Digestibility of Feeds

• Digestibility is closely related to the chemical composition of feeds.
• High digestibility means that the nutrients are being extracted to be used by the body.

Factors Affecting Digestibility

• Grains show little variation in digestibility.
• Herbage (plant materials) varies in composition and digestibility depending on the growth stage.

Fibre Content and Digestibility

• Higher fibre content is associated with lower digestibility for monogastric animals.

Role of Caecum

• The caecum (appendix) plays a role in breaking down roughage.

Monogastric Digestion Systems

• Characterized by a non-functional caecum (appendix) that is unable to break down roughage
• Found in animals such as dogs, cats, rats, mice, pigs, and fish
• Digestion process involves chemical action on food material
• Have a poor ability to handle fibrous foods

Monogastric Digestion Systems

• Non-functional caecum (appendix) is present in dogs, cats, rats, mice, pigs, and fish.
• These animals have a poor ability to handle fibrous foods.
• Digestion involves chemical action on food material.

Functioning Caecum - Hind Gut Fermenter

• Horse, rabbit, and guinea pig have a functioning caecum and enlarged colon.
• The caecum and colon contain micro-organisms that break down fibrous plant material through microbial fermentation.
• Absorption is low in these animals, requiring them to eat large quantities of food to obtain required nutrients.

Learn about the dietary requirements of ruminant animals, such as cattle, and how high protein feeds can be utilized. Understand the importance of balanced protein intake for optimal production.