B85 Animal Nutrition

Lesson Outline

Introduction

The Six Major Classes of Nutrients

Feed additives

Introduction

Many health, reproductive and production problems can be

prevented with good nutrition.
Poor nutrition results in:
Poor conception rates
Lower calf crop
Poor weaning weights
Difficult births
Higher feed bills because of over feeding
More infectious disease due to decreased immune system
protection

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Introduction

There are only two sources where an animal can obtain energy.
One is from the food it ingests.
The other is from the energy stored in its body in the form of fat.

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Introduction

A lot of research has gone into the development of feeds that give
animals exactly what they need to remain healthy and to perform
at their peak.
As animals grow and mature, their nutritional needs change.
Younger animals need diets high in protein.
As the animal matures, the animal needs a diet higher in
carbohydrates.
Breeding animals nutritional needs change according to their
production cycle.

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Introduction
Nutritional Requirements
Stage of Production

Highest

Moderate

Lowest

High

Calving to breeding

Breeding to weaning

Mid Gestation

Late Gestation

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Six Major Classes of Nutrients

Water
Protein
Carbohydrates
Fats
Vitamins
Minerals

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Water

Water is the cheapest nutrient. It provides the basis for all fluid in
the animals body.
Water is used in the blood supply.
Digestion requires moisture for the breakdown of nutrients.
Water is needed in the movement of feed through the digestive
track and in flushing the animals body of waste.
Water is needed to produce milk.
It helps regulate the animals body temperature.

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Water

Over 80% of the animals body is composed of water.

A loss of 20% will result in death of the animal.
Animals generally need about 3 pounds of water for every pound
of solid feed they consume.
The average cow will consume 12 gallons of water per day.
Some water comes in the feed itself, such as in succulent green
pasture forages and silage.

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Water

Animals water needs change.

A horse working hard in hot weather will need more water intake
to replenish water lost.
A animal that is lactating requires a lot more water to produce
milk for its young.

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Protein

Protein can make up 15- 16 percent of an animals diet, and

usually is the most costly part of a ration.
Protein is composed of compounds called amino acids.
Amino Acids are used to build muscle, skin, hair, bones, and body
tissues.
All of the enzymes and many hormones in the bodies of animals
are composed of proteins.

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Protein

As is the case with water, some animals need more protein in their
diets than do others.
Young rapidly growing animals need more protein than do mature
animals.
A cow that is giving large amounts of milk needs more protein
than an animal that is not lactating.
There are over 20 different types of amino acids.
There are ten that are essential that the animal must obtain from its
feed.

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Essential Amino Acids

Arginine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine

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Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine

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Protein

Animals may not be able to digest all of the protein in a particular

feed.
The total amount of protein in a feed is called the crude protein.
Crude protein is calculated by analyzing the nitrogen content and
multiplying that percentage by 6.25.
Digestible protein is the protein that can be digested in the feed
and used by the animal.
Digestible protein is usually abut 50% 80% of the crude protein.

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Protein

Protein content varies, depending on the type of feed.

Corn has about 8% protein. A growing pig needs about 16%
protein. Corn alone will not give the pig an adequate amount of
protein to sustain growth.
Carnivores like dogs and cats get almost all of their protein from
meat.

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Balancing Protein in a Ration

Modern livestock operations no longer just balance a feed ration

based on the percent of protein.
Now the feed formulas are based on the types and amounts of
amino acids that are needed by a particular group of animals.
The process of balancing feed rations based on amino acid
contents is so complicated that it is done by computers.
Two types of feed may have the same percentage of protein but
have different percentages of the essential amino acids.
A different amino acid is needed for growth than is needed for
milk production.

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Carbohydrates

The main source of energy from animals comes from

carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen.
They include sugars, starches and cellulose.
Carbohydrates come from plants. By weight, plants are composed
of about 75% carbohydrates. (Primarily cellulose which makes up
the cell walls of plants.)

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Carbohydrates

Starch is generally found in grain. It is used by the plant as energy

storage for the seed.
Starches are composed of sugars, and as digestion occurs, the
starch is broken down into sugar.
Sugars fall into two categories:
Monosaccharides or simple sugars
Disaccharides or complex sugars
Simple or complex refers to the chemical composition of the sugar
and the different ways the molecules are formed.

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Simple Sugars

Glucose is the most simple of all sugars and is found in a low

concentration in plant materials. It is also the major energy source
found in an animals blood. The animals body breaks down some
of the other sugars into glucose.
Fructose is found in fruits and honey and is the sweetest of all the
sugars.
Common table sugar (sucrose ) is a disaccharide composed of
fructose and glucose.
Lactose is milk sugar.

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Simple Sugars

Cellulose is the portion of cell walls that gives the plant its rigid
structure. The enzymes in an animals digestive system cannot
break down cellulose. However, some animals have
microorganisms in their digestive system that break down the
cellulose fiber so the enzymes can digest the material.
Fiber is important in maintaining good health and proper rumen
function.

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Sources of Carbohydrates

The most important source of carbohydrates for animals is grain.

Grain is also known as concentrates because of the high
concentration of carbohydrates which are high in energy.
Forages fed to animals are called roughages because of the
amount of fiber in the diet. Roughages are generally low in net
energy.

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Fats

Fats are part of a group of organic compounds known as lipids.

These compounds will not dissolve in water.
Cholesterol is included in this category of organic compounds.
Fats are found in both plants and animals.
They contain about 2.25 times the energy of carbohydrates.
They serve as concentrated storage places for excess energy.
When the body does not take in enough energy to perform the
normal functions, these reserves of fat are used.

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Fats

Certain acids referred to as essential fatty acids are also derived

from fats.
These acids are necessary for the production of some hormones.
The most important sources of fats in feed for agriculture animals
are the grains that contain oil, such as corn and soybeans.

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Minerals

Minerals are the only group of nutrients that are inorganic.

Although they provide only a small portion of the total feed
intake, they are vitally important.
Bones are formed by a combination of calcium and phosphorus.
Eggshells are mainly composed of calcium.
Minerals aid in the construction of muscles, blood cells, internal
organs and enzymes.
Animals with a deficiency in minerals never develop properly and
are more susceptible to disease.

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Minerals

Minerals are also divided up into two categories:

Macro minerals: Required in larger amounts in the diet.
Micro minerals or trace minerals: Required in very small
amounts in the diet.

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Macro Minerals

There are seven essential macro minerals:

Calcium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sodium
Sulfur

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Micro Minerals

There are nine essential micro minerals:

Cobalt
Copper
Fluorine
Iron
Iodine
Manganese
Molybdenum
Selenium
Zinc

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Minerals

Minerals make up 3-5% of the body.

Of that 3-5%, calcium makes up one-half of the bodys minerals.
Phosphorus makes up about one-fourth of the bodys minerals.
Calcium and phosphorus make up the largest portion (75%) of the
total mineral content in the body.

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Minerals

Minerals are often fed free choice. Animals are given free access
to the minerals and allowed to eat all they want.
This is done in a mineral box or trough or by using salt blocks.
Essential minerals are in the block and the animals take in the
minerals as they lick the block for salt.

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Vitamins

Vitamins are used in small amounts but are essential for life.
They are used in the normal body processes of growth,
production, and reproduction.
They are vitally important in providing the animal with the ability
to fight stress, disease and maintain good health.

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Vitamins

There are 16 known vitamins.

The B vitamins and vitamin C are water soluble.
Fat soluble vitamins are A, D E, and K.

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Vitamin A

Vitamin A is not found in feed but is converted by the animals

body from carotene which is found in green leafy forages from
pastures, hay and silage.
Vitamin A can be stored in fats and the liver for many months and
will be used when forage quality is low.
Supplementation is common for ruminants and swine.

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Vitamin D & E

Vitamin D and E are referred to as the sunshine vitamins.

Both animals and plants use ultraviolet light to manufacture
vitamin D.
Animals in total confinement often receive supplements of vitamin
D.
Cereal grains and green forage supply vitamin E.

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Vitamin B

Cattle dont need as much vitamin B because microorganisms in

the stomach of the cow make their own.
They can also make some proteins if given the right kind of
nitrogen.

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Vitamin B

Thiamine is a coenzyme in energy metabolism. Sources include

green forage, well cured hays, and cereal grains. It is synthesized
in the rumen.
Riboflavin is important as a part of two coenzymes that function
in energy and protein metabolism. Riboflavin is added to swine
rations and may be needed in ruminant rations.
Niacin is part of an enzyme system essential in the metabolism of
fat, carbohydrates and proteins. Niacin in grains is largely
unavailable to non ruminants and supplementation is often needed.

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Vitamin B

Folic acid is needed in body cell metabolism.

B12 functions as a coenzyme in several metabolic reactions and is
an essential part of red blood cell maturation. Most swine rations
are supplemented with vitamin B12.
Vitamin C is essential in the formation of the protein collagen.
Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, green leafy forages and well
cured hays. Animals normally can synthesize sufficient quantities
to meet their needs.

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Feed Additives

Antibiotics: disease prevention

Coccidiostats: control parasites
Xanthophyll: makes egg yolks yellow
Hormones: increases growth
Tranquilizers: calms nerves (cattle, turkeys)
Antioxidants: prevents feed from getting rancid
Pellet Binders: keeps feed in pellet form
Flavoring Agents: makes feed taste better

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