An Agriscience Lesson Plan: Protein Needs

Understand the amounts and kinds of protein needed in feeding livestock Learn the essential amino acids and their functions Objectives:

Important factors in feeding protein: The amount of protein The quality of protein The compliment of amino acids in protein Can feed less of high quality protein and vice versa

Excess Protein No danger in over feeding protein, but it is usually the most expensive part of the feed Once the animal has consumed all the protein needed for cell construction, muscle, fetal growth, etc., the rest is broken down for energy Carbohydrates are a cheaper source of energy

Ten essential amino acids Arginine Histidine Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Threonine Tryptophan Valine

Amino Acids The ten essential amino acids are those which are not made in the body or not made in sufficient amounts and have to be supplemented in feed A pneumonic for remembering the essential amino acids is PVT. TIM HALL

Factors in the requirements of amino acids for animals The kind of animal Function of the animal (ie. Work, weight, etc. Amino acids essential for growth are not essential for maintaining the animal

Protein in the rations of ruminants All of the essential amino acids are made in ruminants by the rumen bacteria from simple forms of Nitrogen in the feed The bacterial protein may provide all of the essential amino acids even though they are lacking in the feed the ruminant eats

Urea Used as a protein substitute for ruminants Source of Nitrogen that rumen bacteria can use to make protein Urea is used only in ruminant rations, it is toxic to monogastrics

Protein from animals Fish meal Meat and bone meal milk blood meal

Protein from plants Soybean oil meal Soybeans Cottonseed meal Canola Legumes

Protein and maturity of the animal Young animals have a greater need for protein because they are building new tissue as they grow Lactation and pregnancy require higher amounts of protein As animals mature the daily feed intake increases and the protein concentration decreases

Web sites: nal.usda.gov.com public.gov.nf.ca/