Animal Digestion

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Animal Digestion
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What are Nutrients?

• parts of food which provide for growth,
  maintenance, body functions
• Carbohydrates (CHO)
• Fats
• Proteins
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Water

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What is a Ruminant?

• Animals with more than one compartment in their
  stomach
• Chew their cud (re-chew food)
• Cows, sheep, goats
• Cows have four compartments in their stomachs

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NonRuminants

• Foragers Horse, rabbit
• NonForagers pig, poultry

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How much to feed?

• Depends on function of animal
• Pregnant, Lactating, Working, Growing
• How often to feed
• Depends on stomach size rate of
  metabolism
• Stomach size is relevant to amount of feed
  fed

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What foods give energy?

• Carbohydrates (starch cellulose) Fats
• Fat 2 1/2 times energy of CHO
• Energy is major part of a feed ration
• Up to 90 of a ration for a steer
• Measured in Kilocalories or TDN (Total Digestible
  Nutrients)

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What are Proteins?

• Used to build muscle, body tissue
• Made of amino acids
• Ruminants can make some proteins
• Simple Stomachs need specific amino acids

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What are Minerals?

• Natural elements which regulate certain body
  functions
• Na, Ca, P, Fe, Cu, K, Mn, Mg, Zn, Mo, Se, I, Co
• Most are trace minerals

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What are vitamins?

• Compounds responsible for certain functions
• Fat Soluable A, D, E, K
• Water Soluable B, C

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What are additives?

• Antibiotics disease prevention
• Coccidiostats control parasites
• Xanthophyll makes egg yolks yellow
• Hormones increase growth
• Tranquilizers calm nerves (cattle, turkeys)
• Antioxidants prevent feed from getting rancid
• Pellet Binders keep in pellet form
• Flavoring Agents make taste better

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Livestock Feeding

• Roughage high fiber, low energy
• Concentrate low fiber, high energy