Veterinary Biochemistry Lecture 2: Nutrition I

Veterinary Biochemistry Lecture 2: Nutrition I

• The lecture covers the importance of nutrition in veterinary science
• It examines the components of animal diets, focusing on macronutrients and micronutrients.
• It explains the roles of essential nutrients.
• Discussion of inadequate dietary intake of micronutrients (vitamins) is included.

Introduction

• Nutrition is an integrative science
• It addresses how animals assimilate and utilize food for growth, health, and performance.
• Key examples of food sources include meat, milk, and eggs.
• Nutrients are the chemical elements or compounds in feed essential for health, growth, body maintenance, productivity, and reproduction.
• Nutrients classified: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

Macronutrients

• Provide energy and essential building blocks for structure and function.
• Needed in larger quantities.
• Daily intake is more than 10 grams daily.
• Includes carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (fats).

Macronutrients (Continued)

• Carbohydrates: Primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

• Examples: sugars, starch, and cellulose.

• Provide energy.

• Excess carbohydrates are converted to body fats.

• Proteins: Composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

• Composed of amino acids.

• Critical for growth and repair.

• Include meat, eggs, and dairy products.

• Lipids (fats): Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

• Concentrated source of energy. (2.25x more energy than carbohydrates).

• Form cholesterol and steroids.

• Protect organs and provide insulation.

Micronutrients

• Needed in smaller quantities (micrograms, milligrams), essential for normal metabolic and tissue functions.

Micronutrients (Continued)

• Vitamins: Organic compounds involved in various metabolic processes, acting as precursors for enzymes and coenzymes.
• These need to be sourced from the animal's diet.
• Some vitamins can be synthesized by the rumen or hindgut microbes or via exposure to sunlight.
• Humans, non-human primates, and guinea pigs require vitamin C from their diet.
• Vitamin classification: water-soluble and fat-soluble.

Vitamins (Continued)

• Vitamin A: Diverse functions, including vision and resistance to infection.
• Vitamin D: Involved in regulating calcium levels and facilitating its absorption.
• Vitamin E: A free radical scavenger and antioxidant with crucial immune functions
• Vitamin K: Important for blood clotting processes.
• B-Complex Vitamins: A group of vitamins crucial for various metabolic roles.

Minerals

• Inorganic elements critical for numerous physiological functions and metabolic processes.
• Required in minute quantities (Macrominerals in appreciable amounts, Microminerals in trace amounts)

Minerals (Continued)

• Macrominerals: Include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chloride, and magnesium. These minerals are needed in larger amounts daily.

• Microminerals: Include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, and selenium. These minerals are needed in smaller amounts.

• Functions: Co-factors for enzymes, Electrolytes, Structural components of tissues like bones, teeth, nails, blood, and muscles.