Swine, Sheep and Goat nutrition Feedstuffs Swine, Sheep and Goat nutrition

Feedstuffs Definition- any component of a diet ( ration) that serves some useful function Functions Provide source of nutrients and energy Combined to produce rations Modify characteristics of diet

Eight Classes of Feedstuffs Dry roughages Pasture and range grasses Ensiled roughages High energy concentrates Protein sources Minerals Vitamins additives

1. Dry Roughages Bulky feed that has low weight per unit volume High crude fiber content, low protein and fat digestibility A feed is classified as a roughage if it contains >18% crude fiber and <70% total digestible nutrients Ex: Hay: alfalfa or grass Straw and chaff Corn cobs

2. Pasture and Range Grasses Grazed plants Dormant plants Growing plants

3. Silages and Haylages Fermented, high moisture feed made from the entire plant, stored in silos corn, sorghum Grass, grass-legume, legume

4. High Energy Concentrate Cereal grains ( milling byproducts of cereal grains) Beet and citrus pulp Molasses Animal, marine, vegetable fats Roots and tubers

5. Protein Supplements Contain > 20% crude protein Animal, avian, marine sources Milk and by-products Legume seeds Urea

6. Mineral supplements 7. Vitamin supplements Must be added by sources that animal is able to absorb Vitamin concentration in plants and animal tissues varies greatly Plants: vitamin concentration affected by harvesting, processing and storing Animals: liver and kidney are good sources of most vitamins

8. Additives Non-nutritive ingredients added to stimulate growth or performance or improve the efficiency of feed Added in very small quantities Antibiotics, antifungals, antimicrobials Probiotics, buffers Colors, flavors Hormones, enzymes

Estimating Nutritional Value of a Feed Goal: estimate how well nutrients in feedstuff matches the animals needs Three methods for estimating Chemical analysis Digestion and balance trials Feeding trials

Chemical Analysis Subdivides the components of the feedstuff into general groups ( protein, water, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, vitamins) to estimate the relative amount present Problem: doesn’t estimate how well the animal utilizes the feed

Digestion and Balance Trials Measures the digestibility of feed Feed consumption and fecal excretion are measured over period of time Problem: not a true measure because feces contain sloughed cells and tissue

Feeding Trials Used extensively Usually done before chemical analysis or digestion and balance trials Can evaluate growth, egg production, wool or milk production

Break Time!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Jw7ml7s8 Q

Swine Nutrition- Water Neonates- 80% water, finishing pigs 55% water Requirement is influenced by many factors ( environment, moisture content of food, urine output etc) General guidelines- 1-1 ½ quarts of water per 1 lb of feed consumed Lactating sows require more water

Swine Nutrition- Energy Required for buildup of lean and fat tissue Nursing pigs- most energy from fat and sugar in milk Growing pigs- most energy from cereal grains Sows and finishing pigs- some energy from VFA ( volatile fatty acids) from large intestine Amount of feed consumed ad libitum is controlled by energy content of diet

Energy Source Feedstuffs in Swine Cereal grains ( especially corn) Damaged grains Grain by-products Purified sugars ( sucrose, lactose for piglets) Fat (animal and vegetable fats)

Swine Nutrition- protein and amino acids Pigs need 10 essential amino acids to maintain tissues Most porcine diets are based on corn and soybean meal, corn is low in lysine Amino acid requirements for protein accretion is higher than for maintenance Plant protein sources: soybeans

Swine Minerals Ca/P- limestone and oyster shells NaCl- inadequate amounts suppress feed intake I- require supplementation, soybean and grain deficient Fe- injected in piglets, milk deficient, lasts 3 weeks Mg- usually present in diet Z – supplemented to prevent parakeratosis

Swine Vitamins Vit A- supplemented due to def. in corn, breaks down with processing, dehydrated alfalfa is a good source VitD – absent in feedstuffs, expose to sunlight or use sun-cured hays or fish oils in diet Vit E- req throughout life, legume hay, green forage, cereal grains Vit K- synthesized in hind gut fermentation (need access to feces), supplement in confinement

Water requirements 1 gallon per 4 lbs of dry feed consumed More water when air temp is > 70F Less intake if water temp is <40 or > 50F Lower requirement with daily rain, heavy dew or soft wet snow Lower requirement when eating silage, succulent or range forage

Energy for Sheep Insufficient energy from low intake or poor quality feed Energy deficiency reduces growth, fertility, wool quality, death High energy needs: Immediately before and after lambing Flushing ewes and rams for breeding Finishing lambs

Sheep nutrition- protein Usually quantity is more important than quality due to bacterial conversion in rumen Microbial protein synthesis supplies protein needs except when lactating or very young lambs Green pastures, soybean meal, cottonseed meal, alfalfa hay, urea ( sometimes)

Minerals for sheep NaCl- usually provided ½ to ¾ lb per ewe/month Ca/P- highest need during lactation, provide leafy legumes for Ca, grains for P I in salt, Co in legumes Se- narrow margin of safety, deficiency leads to white muscle disease Zinc- needed for normal testicular development

Vitamins for sheep Vit A- can store excess for 6-12 months Vit D- fast growing lambs kept inside may show problems Vit E- low selenium leads to Vit E deficiency Vit K- synthesized in rumen Vit C- synthesized by tissues

Goat feeding behavior Confinement feeding- will pick and choose Goats will eat more if they have more to select, so offer less feed to force them to choose more of the desired diet Range feeding- active forager, browses all plant types including trees, shrubs, grasses. Will sometimes defoliate one type of plant.

Goat nutrition- water Requirements Intake is related to feed intake and feed intake correlates to productivity Free access to good quality water More sensitive to water quality Lactation increases needs

Goat nutrition- energy Mostly from carbs and low levels or fat ( high fat inhibits rumen fermentation) Excess fat is stored in the body around internal organs Consume more dry matter than other livestock species

Goat nutrition- protein Most expensive component of diet Needed to support rumen fermentation and supply amino acids Unlike fat, excess is not stored Vary with developmental stage Protein feedstuffs for goats: soybean meal, fish meal, cottonseed meal, sunflower meal

Goat nutrition- minerals Ca/P – needed for bone and milk production Phosphorus is met with high diet selectivity Only salt should be provided free choice Lush pasture deficient in magnesium

Goat nutrition- vitamins Only vitamin A is likely to be deficient Occurs in confinement fed goats in dry cold weather Occurs in range fed goats when vegetation contains little or no green plant material