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AGA 211 Intro to Nutrition

The document provides an overview of animal nutrition, emphasizing its importance for animal health, production efficiency, and food quality. It details the essential nutrients required by animals, their functions, and the different digestive systems across species. Additionally, it discusses challenges in animal nutrition, including nutritional deficiencies, feed costs, and environmental concerns, while highlighting the significance of proper feed formulation and sustainable practices.

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9 views19 pages

AGA 211 Intro to Nutrition

The document provides an overview of animal nutrition, emphasizing its importance for animal health, production efficiency, and food quality. It details the essential nutrients required by animals, their functions, and the different digestive systems across species. Additionally, it discusses challenges in animal nutrition, including nutritional deficiencies, feed costs, and environmental concerns, while highlighting the significance of proper feed formulation and sustainable practices.

Uploaded by

balisocwenga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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AGA 211: Introduction to Animal Nutrition

by

Dr Z Mpetile
Introduction to Animal Nutrition

Overview of Animal Nutrition?

Definition: Animal nutrition is the study of how animals


consume, digest, absorb, and utilize nutrients to maintain life
and support production. Other authors define it as the study of
the composition and characteristics of food consumed by animals
and how it is metabolized in the body.
Importance: Understanding animal nutrition is crucial for
maintaining animal health, optimizing production (e.g., meat,
milk, eggs), and ensuring the quality of animal-derived food
products.
Importance of Animal Nutrition in Livestock
Production

o Supports growth and reproduction.

o Enhances feed efficiency, reducing production costs.

o Improves meat, milk, and egg quality.

o Prevents nutritional deficiencies and diseases.

o Contributes to sustainable farming by optimizing feed use and

reducing waste.
Historical Perspective of Animal
Nutrition

• Early livestock feeding was based on trial and error.

• 18th-19th century: Scientific research began identifying specific


nutrients.

• Modern era: Precision nutrition and feed formulation to maximize


productivity and minimize environmental impact.
Nutrients and their functions
• All animals require six essential classes of nutrients for proper growth and
function. These are divided into macronutrients and micronutrients.
• Macronutrients (Needed in Large Quantities)
1. Water
• Most essential nutrient —animals can survive longer without food than without
water.
• Functions: Transport of nutrients & waste, temperature regulation, digestion and
metabolic processes, and maintaining body form.
2. Carbohydrates
• Primary source of energy for animals.
• Found in grains (corn, barley), roughages (hay, silage), and fibrous feeds.
• Broken down into simple sugars (glucose) or volatile fatty acids (VFAs in
ruminants).
Nutrients and their Functions Cont’…
3. Proteins
• Essential for muscle development, enzyme function, and hormone
production.
• Sources: Soybean meal, fish meal, alfalfa, and legumes.
• Protein quality is important—ruminants can utilize non-protein nitrogen
(NPN), while monogastrics require specific amino acids.

4. Fats (Lipids)
• Concentrated energy source, providing 2.25 times more energy than
carbohydrates.
• Important for insulation, reproduction, and absorption of fat-soluble
vitamins.
• Found in vegetable oils, tallow, and oilseeds (sunflower, canola).
• Micronutrients (Needed in Small Quantities)
Nutrients and their Functions Cont’…

5. Vitamins
• Micronutrients necessary for various bodily functions
• Fat-soluble vitamins: A (vision), D (bone growth), E (antioxidant), K
(blood clotting).
• Water-soluble vitamins: B-complex (metabolism), C (immune
function).

6. Minerals
• Essential for structural integrity and metabolic processes
• Macrominerals: Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Sodium (Na),
Magnesium (Mg).
• Microminerals: Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Selenium (Se).
• Important for bone health, enzyme function, and immune system
support.
Digestion in Livestock

• To utilize nutrients, animals must first digest and absorb them. The
digestive system varies by species, influencing how different animals
process feeds.

• Monogastric Digestive System (Simple/Single-chambered stomach)


• Found in pigs, poultry, dogs, and humans.
• Digestion occurs primarily in the stomach and small intestine.
• Require high-quality, easily digestible feeds (e.g., grains, soybean
meal).
Digestion in Livestock cont’…

Ruminant Digestive System (Four-Chambered Stomach)


• Found in cattle, sheep, and goats.
• Key feature: Rumen with microbial fermentation that breaks down
fibrous plant material.
• Microbes convert fiber into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), providing
energy.
• Can digest low-quality forages efficiently.
Digestion in Livestock cont’…

• Hindgut Fermenters/ Lower Digestive Tract Fecmenters


• Found in horses, Ostritches and rabbits.
• Fermentation occurs in the cecum (hindgut) found in the large
intestine.
• Require high-fiber diets but are less efficient than ruminants.
Nutrient Functions

Nutrient Functions
Structural Material: Building and maintaining body tissues (e.g.,
proteins, carbohydrates).
Energy Source: Fuels metabolic processes (e.g., carbohydrates, lipids).
Regulatory Functions: Vitamins and minerals play roles in enzyme
activity and hormone regulation.
Accessory Function: Some nutrients may have additional roles beyond
the basic three
Nutrient Requirements
Maintenance: Essential for sustaining life processes
Production: Supports growth, reproduction and milk/egg production.
Feed formulation and feeding
strategies

• Optimizing animal performance requires proper diet formulation based


on nutrient needs.

• Nutritional Requirements by Species and Production Stage


• • Growing animals need high protein and energy.
• • Lactating animals require extra energy, calcium, and phosphorus.
• • Maintenance diets are lower in energy but still provide essential
nutrients.
Types of Feedstuffs

1. Concentrates (High energy, low fiber)


• Examples: Corn, wheat, soybean meal.
• Used primarily in monogastric diets and as supplements in ruminant
diets.

2. Roughages (High fiber, low energy)


• Examples: Hay, silage, pasture.
• Essential for ruminants and hindgut fermenters to maintain gut
health.
Feed Processing Methods

• Grinding and Pelleting: Improves digestibility for monogastrics.

• Silage Fermentation: Preserves nutrients and improves palatability


for ruminants.

• Extrusion: Used in pet and aquaculture feeds for better nutrient


absorption.
Balancing Diets for maximum
efficiency

• Use of Pearson Square Method to formulate simple rations.


• Adjusting protein and energy levels for optimal performance.
Challenges in Animal Nutrition

• Despite advancements, nutritional challenges persist in animal production.

• Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities


• Calcium Deficiency: Causes rickets in young animals.
• Selenium Toxicity: Can cause muscle weakness and death.

• Environmental Concerns & Feed Efficiency


• Methane emissions from ruminants contribute to climate change.
• Strategies such as feed additives and precision feeding help reduce waste.
Challenges in Animal Nutrition
cont’…

Feed Cost & Sustainability Issues

• High feed costs impact profitability.

• Alternative protein sources (e.g., insects, algae) are being


explored.

• Precision nutrition technologies help reduce feed waste and


improve efficiency.
Conclusion

• Animal nutrition is essential for growth, reproduction, and health.

• Animals require six major nutrient classes for proper function.

• Different digestive systems influence how animals process feeds.

• Proper feed formulation improves performance and reduces costs.

• Sustainability and environmental concerns are shaping modern


animal nutrition.
Thanks

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