Animal nutrition involves consuming and utilizing food to provide essential nutrients for life processes. A balanced ration must supply carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water. Carbohydrates provide energy, fats provide heat and energy, proteins build tissues, minerals aid growth and processes, and vitamins regulate processes and growth. There are five main types of diets: maintenance to sustain life, growth for increasing size, reproduction to support breeding, lactation to produce milk, and work when animals perform labor. Proper nutrition is important to maximize feed efficiency, health, and productivity of livestock and companion animals.

1. Animal NutritionBy: Brad and Jon

2. NutritionNutrition- the process in which animals consume and utilize food.Feed efficiency= “rate of gain”The feed must have proper nutrients to support life processes of an animal.Diet must provide balanced ration.

3. Feed effifiencyLivestock producers- watch nutrition to decrease the # of days until market.Companion Animal Owners- limit animal feed in order to maintain animal health and contentment.Balanced Ration- the total amount of feed an animal gets in 24 hour period.

4. 6 Essential Nutrients Needed to insure life Provide lots of energyWithout them, problems can occur body mass, lactation, maturity time

5. waterDissolves nutrients that animals eat, controls body temp., carries nutrients throughout the body.Notable facts: younger animals have 80% water and 40%-80% maturity animals.You give them water and should be fresh and clean

6. CarbohydratesProvides energy, which powers muscles in the animal. Produces body heat and provide fat if not burned.Made of starches, sugars, cellulose Simple carbs- easily digested in nitrogen free extract.Complex- fibers more difficult to digest 75% carbsCan be obtained from cane molasses, ground corn, wheat middlings and dehydrated alfalfa meal.

7. FatsProvide body with heat and energyEasily digestableContains 1-5% in feedsCome from animal and vegetable sourcesBrewer’s dried grains, corn gluten meal, and distillers dried grains.

8. ProteinsSupply material to build body tissuesEssential for fetal developmentAlso essential for tissue growthMade of amino acidsLigaments, muscles, organs, skin and horns are all made partially of proteinIt can be obtained by soybean oil meal, linseed meal, cottonseed meal and meat and bone meal.

9. MineralsMinerals aid in growthAlso aid in the body processesInorganic materialsMacro minerals are needed in large amountsMicro minerals are needed in small amountsMinerals are usually mixed in with feeds as supplements.

10. VitaminsProvide material for growth of bones, teeth and tissue.Regulate chemical processAid in muscular activityHelp repair tissueTwo groups of vitamins:Trace and MajorAre thrown in to feeds as supplements

11. 5 Different DietsMaintenanceGrowthReproductionLactationWork

12. MaintenanceMaintaining life of the animal Consist of Protein, minerals, vitamins, and water, certain fatty acids.All of these animals need it

13. GrowthNutrients given for growth after maintenance. Increases size of muscles and organsConsist of high protein and vitamins/mineralsUse for weight gaining animals

14. Reproduction Nutrients given so an animal can reproduce effetely and to breeding animalsDiet consist of high in protein and extra minerals/vitamins Use for mother, pigs, ex……..

15. Lactation To produce milk as a productDiet consist of vitamins/minerals, protein and fats/calcium/ phosphorus Use for cows, swine, sheep, goats

16. Work When animals are used to do workDiets consist of extra carbs, fats and extra protein, extra salt Use for horses, mules

17. Pearson’s Square Steps to Use1. Draw a square2.Label feeds and crude protein percentages on the left corners and feeds on right corner.3.Subtract the smaller number from the larger along the diagonal lines4.Divide the parts of feed by the total parts to % of each feed in the ratio5.Use total lbs need to determine lbs of each feed need.6.Check to make sure protein needs are met.