FINALS
Animal
Nutrition
Animal Digestion Review
• Digestive System Types
• Monogastric
• Polygastric
True Stomachs
• Monogastric: Stomach
• Poultry: Proventriculus
• Ruminants: Abomasum
What is a Nutrient?
Any feed constituent, group of feed
constituents or synthetically derived
compounds of the same general chemical
composition that aids in the support of
animal life.
Classes of Nutrients
Water
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Minerals
Vitamins
Water
Least expensive nutrient – but often times
lacking
Most abundant nutrient in the animals
body.
Defi ciency in water can cause death faster
than other defi ciency.
Function: Water
Transportation of nutrients and excretions
Chemical reactions
Body temperature regulation
Maintains shape of body cells
Lubricates and cushions joints and organs
Sources: Water
Drinking water (40-76%)
Moisture in feed (4-40%)
Metabolic water derived from oxidation
(20%)
Losses: Water
Urine
Feces
Respiration
Perspiration
Factors affecting water consumption
Age and Size of Animal
Performance of Animals
Environmental temperature and humidity
Water content of feed
Dietary factors
Urinary system
Water quality and availability
Water Deficiency Symptoms
Decrease performance
Decrease feed intake
Sunken eyes
Decrease elasticity of skin
Animals drinking urine or mud
Approximate Water Consumption
(mature animal)
Swine: 1.5 to 3 gal /hd /d
Sheep: 1 to 3 gal /hd /d
Cattle: 10 to 14 gal /hd /d
Horses: 10 to 14 gal /hd /d
Poultry: 2 parts water for each part of dry
feed
Carbohydrates
Source of energy
Includes sugars, starches, cellulose and
others
C (40%) H (7%) O (53%)
CHO make up 75% of the plant dry weight
and represents largest part of animals
food supply
Classifi cation of Carbohydrates
Monosaccharide (1 sugar molecule /simple
sugar)
Fructose
Glucose
Galactose
Mannose
Simple sugars are absorbed into the blood
stream without further digestion in the digestive
tract.
Classifi cation of Carbohydrates
Disaccharides (2 sugar molecules)
Lactose (milk sugar)
Sucrose (table sugar)
Maltose (used in malted milk)
Classifi cation of Carbohydrates
Polysaccharides (many sugar molecules)
Glycogen (animal form)
Starch (plant form)
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Sources: Carbohydrates
Grain (high starch, low fi ber – seed coat)
Forages (high fi ber, low starch)
Milk (lactose) – cow’s milk is 5% lactose
which is 40% of the solids in milk
Function: Carbohydrates
General heat to maintain body
temperature
Fuel metabolic reactions
Building blocks for other nutrients
Energy stored in animals in form of fat
Fats
Chemical composition (C-77%, H-12%, O-
11%)
Insoluble in water
Unit of fat has 2.25 more energy that unit
of carbohydrate
Why are fats added to animal feeds?
Increase energy density
Decrease dust in feed
As a binder in pellets
Taste for non-ruminate diets
Functions of Fats
Store energy
Protect organs
Insulate
Energy source in food
Essential fatty acids needed for prostaglandin
production
Fat soluble vitamins found in fat – cholesterol, a
lipid, is a precursor for vitamin D and sex
hormones
Protein
• the nutrient in highest concentration in
muscle tissue of animals.
• P-H-I-L-L-M-A-T-T-V
Protein
• P – Phenylalanine
• H - Histidine
• I - Isoleucine
• L - Lysine
• L - Leucine
• M - Methionine
• A - Arginine
• T - Threonine
• T - Tryptophan
• V - Valine
Functions of Protein
• Basic Structural Unit of Animal
• Body metabolism
• Used as energy
Minerals
• Are main component of the skeletal
system and chemical processes in body.
• Major – Ca, P, NaCl
• Trace – Fe, Ca, Mn, I, Co, S, Mg, Zn, K, Bo
Vitamins
• Are catalyst for other body processes
• Fat soluble – ADEK
• Water Soluble – C, B complex, B12
Animal Feedstuff
– Sources of
Nutrients
Roughages
• Contain more than 18% fi ber when dry.
• Dry Forages – Hay, Stover
• Ensiled forages – Silage
• Green Forages – Pasture, Greenchop
Roughages
• Two Types of Plants
• Legumes: Alfalfa, Clovers, Soybeans
• Non-Legumes: Corn Silage, Grasses, Grain
Straw
Concentrates
• Contain less than 18% fi ber when dry
• Two Types
• Energy Feeds: less than 20% protein – Corn,
oats, barley, rye, wheat
• Protein Supplements: more than 20% protein –
Animal protein, vegetable protein
Ration Characteristics
• Ration: feed given to an animal during a 24 hr.
period
• Balanced Ration: all the nutrients the animal
needs in the right proportions and amounts for a
24 hr period.
• Palatable: the food must taste good in order for
the animal to eat it
Ration Function
• Maintenance Ration: this ration used to maintain
the life of the animal.
• Growth Ration: Help animals become mature,
increase size of muscles, bones, organs, and
connective tissues
• Fattening Ration: Extra food in the ration that is not
used for maintenance or growth
Ration Function
• Production: for animals who are feeding their
young, production of milk for young animals,
eggs for birds, wool for sheep.
• Reproduction: Animal may become sterile if it
does not get enough nutrition; can also lead to
abortion.
Ration Function
• Work: pulling a plow, cart, etc.; horses when
they are riden; Animals swear when they work
and this takes extra energy
Developing a
Balanced
Ration
Dry Matter Basis vs. As-fed
Basis
• 100 percent dry matter: data presented as
all moisture is removed from the feed.
• As-fed Basis: Data collected with average
amount of moisture in the feed
Conversions
• As-fed to dry matter basis: A = BxC
• Dry matter to as-fed basis: B = A/C
Where:
A = pounds of feed on 100% Dry matter basis
B = pounds of feed on as-fed basis
C = % dry matter in the feed
Balance on Protein
• Total Protein
• Amount of Protein in the ration
• Crude Protein
• Metabolizable Protein
• Digestible Protein
Balance on Energy
• Gross Energy Total Intake
• Digestible energy
• Energy in feces
• Metabolizable energy
• Urine and methane loss
• Net Energy
• Heat increment
Balance on TDN
• Total Digestible Nutrient – TDN
• A total digestible protein, nitrogen-free
extract, digestible crude fi ber and 2.25
times the digestible fat
Balancing
Rations –
Pearson Square
Pearson Square
• Useful tool for simplifying and balancing of
rations
• It shows the proportions or percentages of
two feeds to be mixed together to give a
percentage of the needed nutrient.
Example
You have decided to show a hog for the
Centerpoint FFA Showteam, and you need to
determine what your going to feed it. You know it
will take 2000 lbs of feed to feed your 100lbs
growing hog.
Example
Here’s what you’ve found out through some
research....
• A feeding standards table shows that a 18%
crude protein ration is needed.
• Corn and Soybean Meal (SBM) are selected as
feeds.
• A feed composition table shows
• Corn has 8.9% crude protein
• SBM has 44.4% crude protein
Example
QUESTION..
How much corn and soybean meal will you need to
mix together for the 2000 lbs of feed that you
need for your show pig?
Pearson Square
Here’s how...
Step 1: Draw a 1 to
2 inch square. Place
diagonal lines
across the square.
Pearson Square
Here’s how...
Step 2: Write the
percentage of crude
18.0
protein needed by
the animal in the
center of the square
where the diagonal
lines cross
Pearson Square
Corn
8.9
Step 3: Write
the feeds to be
used at each left
corner. Place the 18.0
percent of crude
protein in the
feeds after the
name of the SBM
feed. 44.4
Pearson Square
Corn 26.4 parts
Step 4: Subtract 8.9 Corn
the smaller of the
numbers from the
larger numbers.
(This involves crude
protein needed by 18.0
the animal and that
provided by the
feed). Write the
diff erence in the
opposite corners
SBM 9.1 parts
44.4 SBM
Pearson Square
Step 5 – the numbers at the two right corner are
parts of the two feed ingredients that are needed.
Do the math…
Add these two number to get the total parts of
ingredients.
26.4 parts Corn
+ 9.1 parts Soybean Meal (SBM)
35.5 total parts
Pearson Square
Corn 26.4 parts Corn
8.9 35.5 total parts
18.0
SBM 9.1 parts SBM
44.4 35.5 total parts
Pearson Square
Step 6 – the percentage of each feed needed in
the ration can be found by dividing the number of
parts by the total parts, then multiply by 100.
Do the math...
26.4/35.5 = 0.744 x 100 = 74.4% Corn
9.1/35.5 = 0.256 x 100 = 25.6% SBM
Pearson Square
Corn 26.4 parts Corn
8.9 35.5 total parts
74.4%
18.0
SBM 9.1 parts SBM
44.4 35.5 total parts
25.6%
Pearson Square
Step 7 – the amount of each feed ingredient for a
large batch of feed is determined by multiplying
the percentage of each by the total amount of
feed desired.
Your batch of feed = 2000 lbs
2000 lbs x 0.744 = 1488 lbs CORN
2000 lbs x 0.256 = 512 lbs SBM
2000 lbs of feed @ 18% Crude Protein
