1. SUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy-nē-ŭn)
Sheep & Goat Specialist
Western Maryland Research & Education Center
sschoen@umd.edu - www.sheepandgoat.com
Nutrient -“a substance that provides nourishment”

2. 1) Water Livestock do not require specific feedstuffs; they
require nutrients in certain quantities and ratios.
2) Protein
3) Energy
4) Fat
5) Vitamins
6) Minerals

3.  Many (most) feedstuffs
contain more than one of
the essential six nutrients.
 Feedstuffs vary
considerably in their
content of the six essential
nutrients.
 No single feedstuff can
supply all six essential
nutrients that an animal
needs to survive and thrive.

4.  There are “linkages” or
relationships between
essential nutrients.
 You have to “balance” the
ratio of different feed
ingredients to meet the
individual animal’s needs.
 The nutrient needs of an
animal varies depending
upon species, age, stage
and level of production,
and other factors.

5.  The most critical
nutrient.
 Has many important
functions in the body.
 Needs vary by species,
stage and level of
production, and
climate. Quantity + Quality

6. Feedstuff % DM
Lettuce 5 percent
Pumpkins 10 percent
Orchardgrass pasture 24 percent
Corn silage 34 percent
Wet distiller’s grains 25 percent
Molasses, cane 76 percent
Grass hay 88 percent
Whole corn 88 percent
Ground limestone 98 percent
Urea 99 percent Pineapple
Feedstuffs contain water. The amount of moisture in the feed must be considered
when balancing rations. Rations are balanced on a dry matter (DM) basis.

7.  Nutrient needed in the
greatest quantity.
 Building blocks for other
nutrients.
 Dietary excess is stored
as fat.
 Expressed as
1. TDN - total digestible nutrients
2. ME - metabolizable energy
3. NE - net energy
[maintenance, gain, and lactation]

8. Feedstuff % TDN
Urea 0 percent
Oat straw 48 percent
Orchardgrass hay 59 percent
Grass silage 61 percent
Fescue pasture 64 percent
Dry beet pulp 75 percent
Barley 84 percent
Corn 88 percent
Bread by-product 91 percent
Distiller’s grains 92 percent
Fat 195 percent

9.  Cheapest energy source.
 2.25x as much energy as
carbohydrates.
 Used to raise energy level
of feed, improve flavor,
texture, and palatability.
 Source of heat, insulation
and body protection.
 Essential fatty acids.
 Can manipulate to change
nutritional profile of meat.

10. Feedstuff % EE
Urea 0 percent
Dry beet pulp 0.7 percent
Barley 2.1 percent
Alfalfa hay, mid-bloom 2.3 percent
Orchardgrass hay 3.3 percent
Corn 4.3 percent
Fescue pasture 5.5 percent
Corn distiller’s grains 10.5 percent
Whole cottonseed 17.8 percent
Whole soybeans 18.8 percent
Fat 99 percent
Ruminant diets are typically < 4% fat

11.  Most expensive ingredient in
feed ration.
 Need decreases as animal
matures.
 Source of essential amino
acids.
 Excess dietary protein is
converted to energy, fat.
 Expressed as
 CP - crude protein
▪ DIP – degradable intake protein
▪ UIP – undegradable intake protein
 MP - metabolizable protein
[microbial protein + UIP]

12. Feedstuff % CP
Wheat straw 3 percent
Corn grain 9 percent
Bromegrass hay 10 percent
Barley 12 percent
Fescue pasture 15 percent
Alfalfa hay, mid bloom 17 percent
Crystalyx ® protein tub 18 percent
Distiller’s grains 29 percent
Soybean meal 49 percent
Fish meal 66 percent
Urea 288 percent

13. 1) Macro
Needed in gram amounts
Ca, P, Na, Cl, Mg, K, S
2) Micro
Needed in milligram amounts
Co, Cu, F, I, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn
 Multiple functions in body

14. Dry matter basis Ca P Ca: P
Corn 0.02 percent 0.30 percent 0.07
Barley 0.06 percent 0.38 percent 0.16
Soybean meal 0.28 percent 0.71 percent 0.39
Orchardgrass hay 0.32 percent 0.30 percent 1.07
Fescue pasture 0.48 percent 0.37 percent 1.30
Soybean hulls 0.55 percent 0.17 percent 3.24
Alfalfa hay, mid-bloom 1.4 percent 0.24 percent 5.83
Dried kelp 2.72 percent 0.31 percent 8.77
Dicalcium phosphate 22 percent 18.65 percent 1.18
Bone meal 27 percent 12.74 percent 2.12
Ground limestone 34 percent 0.02 percent 1700

15. 1) Water soluble
B&C
2) Fat soluble
A, D, E , & K
 Multiple functions in body.
 Requirements increase
with age.
 No dietary requirement for
vitamin K or B complex.

16. Vitamin Feedstuff
β-caroteen Green, pasture forage; dehydrated hay;
(vitamin A) cured hay, vitamin supplements
D Ultraviolet irradiation, sun-cured hays, vitamin supplements
E High quality legume hay, dehydrated alfalfa,
wheat germ, vitamin supplements
K Green, leafy feedstuffs (K1). K2 synthesized in rumen
B Not required in diets of ruminants

17. 1) Ca - Vitamin D
2) P - Vitamin D
3) Co - Vitamin B12
4) Se - vitamin E
5) Cu - Mo - S

18. 1) Acid detergent fiber
(ADF)
Cellulose + Lignin
ADF Forage quality
2) Neutral detergent fiber
(NDF)
Hemicellulose + Cellulose + Lignin
 NDF  Intake
TDN is calculated from ADF.

19. Next webinar – Thursday, 1/26, 7:30 p.m. EST
Topic: Feedstuffs w/Jeff Semler
Thank you for your
attention.
Any questions?
Susan Schoenian
sschoen@umd.edu
www.sheepandgoat.com