1. Animal Digestion

2. What are Nutrients?
Parts of food which provide for growth, maintenance, body functions
Carbohydrates (CHO)
Fats
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Water

3. What is a Ruminant? Animals with more than one stomach
Chew their cud (re-chew food)
Cows, sheep, goats
Cows have four stomach

4. Why don’t cattle need as much B vitamins?
Microorganisms in the stomach of the cow make their own B vitamins
Can also make some proteins if given the right kind of Nitrogen

5. NonRuminants
Foragers: Horse, rabbit
NonForagers: pig, poultry

6. 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 relavant to amount of feed fed
Mink = 4-6 times/day, Cows = 1-2 /day

7. 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)

8. What are Proteins? Used to build muscle, body tissue
Made of amino acids
Ruminants can make some proteins
Simple Stomachs need specific amino acids

9. 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

10. What are vitamins? Compounds responsible for certain functions
Fat Soluable = A, D, E, K
Water Soluable = B, C

11. 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

12. Livestock Feeding Roughage = high fiber, low energy
Concentrate = low fiber, high energy

13. How is a ration balanced?
Pearson square: balance a ration using any two ingredients for one nutrient
How much Soybean Meal (44% Protein) should be mixed with Barley (13% Protein) to get a mixture that is 16% protein?

14. Pearson Square

15. Pearson Square Soybean Meal = 3 parts Barley = 28 parts
Total Parts = 31
Soybean Meal = 3/31 or 10%
Barley = 28/31 or 90%
If mixing a ton (2000#) SBM = 200#, Barley = 1800#