1. Animal Nutrition 301
ANIMAL NUTRITION FOR
MAINTENAQNCE & GROWTH
Umar Hayat, RCVetS, Lahore

2. Maintenance
• A maintenance ration is one that maintains
basic life processes without any work or
production being done.
• A maintenance ration must supply:
– Heat to maintain body temperature.
– Energy for vital functions an a minimum
amount of movement;
– Small amounts of protein, minerals and
vitamins

3. Maintenance
• Oxidation of food in the digestive tract and of
nutrients in the muscles produce heat.
• In easily digested feeds such as corn, about
one third of the total energy available is
converted into heat by the digestive process.
• A higher proportion of the total energy found
in roughages is converted into heat by
digestion.

4. Maintenance
• Maintenance rations for mature animals,
except swine and poultry can be mostly
roughages.
• Even more energy is needed for animals
that move a lot more, for example to water
and feed.
• A maintenance ration with little net energy
is not sufficient for a maintenance ration.
• Generally simple stomached animals, swine
and poultry, cannot derive enough energy
from roughages.

5. Maintenance
• Horse can do great on a high energy roughage
ration because they can utilize the roughage
because of their cecum.
• A maintenance requirement is relative to its
amount of body surface, as well as its weight. An
animal weighing 1200 pounds does not require
twice as much TDN as 2 animals each weighing
600# each.
• This is because the major heat loss is from
radiation and conduction from the body surface
and the 1,200 # animald does not have twice as
much body surface ans the 2 600# animals.

6. Maintenance
• Weight is a factor for determining the
maintenance requirements. The heavier
animals require more energy for standing and
moving than the smaller animals,
• Protein is required for some breakdown of
protein in the body tissues each day.

7. Maintenance
• There is a daily loss of Ca and P so a small
amount of these are also needed.
• NaCl, vitamins A and D are also needed in
maintenance rations.
• It is easier to maintain your animals if you do
not let them turn to far down, it will cost you
money in feed and supplements to raise their
health back up to a productive level.

8. Growth
• During the growth period, there is a
substantial increase in the size f muscle,
bones, internal organs and other body
parts.
• Proper is growth is necessary for efficient
producers when they mature.
• Full genetic potential cannot be reached if
the animal is not fed a well balanced ration.
• Horse cannot perform to capacity if they
are stunted or suffer from skeletonal
injuries during growth.

9. Growth
• Young growing animals have a more
rigorous nutritional requirement than do
mature animals.
• Nutritional deficiencies are reflected more
quickly and more seriously in young
animals than in mature animals.
• Protein quality must be higher and Ca and P
needs are greater.
• The younger the animal, the greater is its
need for good quality protein because of
the rapid growth of muscle at this time.

10. Growth
• A shortage of total digestible nutrients or
net energy during growth will result in
slower growth or smaller size when animals
mature.
• Mineral requirements are higher during
growth because of the rapid bone growth.
• A shortage of protein, energy, vitamins or
minerals will result in animals with poor
health, developing sicknesses easier,
performing at a lower level and not
reproducing.

11. Finishing for Market and Show
• Beef, swine, lambs and broilers that are fed for
meat need nutrients above the maintenance
requirements for fattening.
• Juiciness, flavor, digestibility and nutritive
value of meat is improved by marbling, the
stored fat in the lean meat tissues of the
animal.

12. Finishing for Market and Show
• Nutrients for fattening animals come from
carbohydrates and lipids in the rations.
• Protein not needed for repair for body tissues
and other needs of the animals may also be
converted into body fat.
• Most animals are finished for market while
they are still growing and young.

13. Finishing for Market and Show
• Rapid gains in fattening livestock depend
on a ready supply of TDN or
energy, protein, minerals and vitamins in
the ration.
• Feed efficiency is higher when the ration is
properly balanced for fattening livestock.
• Animals being fitted for show purposes are
fed a liberal supply of carbohydrates and
fats, usually through the addition of more
grain.

14. Finishing for Market and Show
• Mature animals being fitted for show need
little additional protein, minerals and vitamins
above the maintenance requirements.
• However, young, growing animals must be fed
more liberal amounts to reach the desired
level of finish for show.

15. Production
• All milk cows have a high need for TDN, when
expecting a milk cow to produce more milk
they will require more protein, energy,
vitamins and minerals.
• Ewes producing lambs wool and mohair will
also require a ration higher in protein, energy,
vitamins and minerals.

16. Reproduction
• Poor nutrition is a major contributing factor
to reproductive failure in livestock.
• Production of sperm and quality of semen
is determined by the quality of the ration.
• Males that are too fat may become
temporarily or permanently sterile.
• Nutrient requirements for pregnant
females are most critical during the last
third of the gestation period, when the
fetus grows the most.

17. Work
• Production of work is mainly limited to
horses.
• Riding and racing require additional
nutrients for optimum performance.
• As the amount of work increase, so does
the TDN or energy requirements.
• Protein, mineral and vitamin requirements
of mature working horses are only a little
greater than maintenance rations.

18. Work
• Animals require additional nutrients
(especially energy) in relation to the kind of
terrain they are on and whether they are in
confinement.
• Animals on pasture, the distance to feed and
water, animals on level land will not expend as
much energy as those on a rough terrain.