SS2 Lesson Note on the Animal Nutrition

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TOPIC: ANIMAL NUTRITION

CONTENT:

• Meaning of animal nutrition
• Classification of feeds
• Basal/ energy feeds or carbohydrate
• Protein concentrate
• Mineral/vitamins supplement
• Roughages
• Sources and functions of food nutrients
• Types of ration/diet and their uses: – components of a balanced diet
• Causes and symptoms of malnutrition and their correction in the farm.

SUB TOPIC 1: Meaning of animal nutrition

• Classification of feeds
• Basal /energy feeds or carbohydrates
• Protein concentrate
• Mineral/vitamins supplement

MEANING OF ANIMAL NUTRITION

Animal nutrition is the science of which studies the food requirement of animals.

Food is the major requirement of the body for substance and maintenance of all physiological, anatomy and pathological functioning.

When food is lacking the body becomes lifeless. Hence the study of food is very important. Food given to livestock is called feed.

The feed is needed for (a)energy, growth repair of worn out tissues and general good health of the animals.

A nutrient is any element or compound present in the food required by the animal for proper body functioning.

A feed is any food substance that when fed to animals is capable of providing some of the nutrients necessary for upkeep to that animal.

Nutrition is defined as the science of feeding and nourishing the body. It is the series of processes by which an organism takes in or ingests, digests and assimilates food for promoting growth and for the replacement of worn out tissues.

Animal nutrition can then be defined as the science of feeding animals with an appropriate diet capable of nourishing the animal for growth development reproduction and repairs of worn-out tissue.

Therefore the ingredients used for making the feeds must have the following nutrients in adequate quantities and required proportions.

(a) Carbohydrate

(b) Protein

(c) Vitamins

(d) Minerals

(e) Crude fibre

(f) Fat water.

The level of nutrient or nutritional requirement of animal depends on the following factors

• Age of the animal – young grower
• Class of animal – egg producer, ruminant or non-ruminant, meat animal.
• Production level – growers, young layers and old layer dry sow.

Reasons for feeding farm animals feeds are fed to farm animals for the following purposes.

• To provide necessary elements for repairing the wear and tear of the body to provide raw material for synthesis of body source in growth.
• To serve as a source of energy for vital processes in the body e.g growth, work, reproduction, respiration digestion etc. For generating heat necessary for maintaining body temperature. To serve as raw materials for the production of milk meat egg wool etc.

CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF FEED

Animal feedstuffs are classified on their chemical nutritional composition, bulkiness and use.

The chemical composition or nutrients gives the potential value of the feed but does not give the actual value.

Feeds can be classified into

BASAL / ENERGY FEED OR CARBOHYDRATE CONCENTRATE

1. This is the feed that has crude fibre content less than 18%.
2. They are feeds that are very high in energy.
3. They are high in carbohydrate or fat.

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