ANSC 1401 - Nutrition

Dr. Jackson

Why do we need nutrients?

• To meet all animal requirements

  • Offspring, maturity, gestation, lactation, adult, etc

  • Single most relevant cost

• Prevents failures in the body

  • Diseases, infertility, lack of milk, etc

• A lack of knowledge can lead to poor livestock

What are Concentrates?

• Grains

• High in energy (Caloric) ▲

• Low in fibre ▼

• Highly digestible ▲

What are Roughages?

• Grasses & hay

• Low in energy ▼

• high in fibre ▲

• Lowly digestible ▼

Carbonaceous Concentrates

• Low in protein ▼

• Primary Sources: Cereal grains (corn, wheat, oats, sorghum)

  • Corn 1st most popular

  • Sorghum 2nd most popular

  • Starch is a carbohydrate and is fed for energy

• Typically consumed by swine & poultry

  • Digested easily by monogastrics

Nitrogenous Concentrates

• High in protein ▲

• Primary sources: Soybean meal, cottonseed meal, tankage, dairy products

  • Dairy is easily digested by young

  • Tankage: leftovers from a slaughter fed back to livestock

    • No longer fed due to linkage to mad cow disease

  • Cottonseed hulls used on forage cattle

    • Tends to be easier on the ruminant stomach

    • Must mind the amount consumed due to gossypol

Carbonaceous Roughage

• Low in protein ▼

• Primary sources: mature grass, grass hay, hay, or stover

• Hay will be sold by the bale or by the ton; however, a balance of quality & quantity matter

  • Not too old to where there is no nutritional value but not too young where there isn’t much hay to be sold

• NOT EASILY DIGESTED

  • Carbs will grow up the stem as a plant matures

  • Stems are what will be fed to the animals and will not have a high concentration of carbohydrates

Nitrogenous Roughage

• High in protein ▲

• Primary sources: growing pasture, silage, legume hay

  • Cost will range depending on quality

    • Only mature cattle can do well on low-quality forage

  • Gin trash is a great energy source for ruminants

    • Gin trash and the used parts of cotton plants

    • Ruminants can use low quality roughages

What are the parts of a Grain Kernel?

• Germ/Embryo: genetic makeup of the grain; protein found there

• Starch: makes up the majority of the kernel & is a carbohydrate

• Pericarp: the protective covering of the grain. Needs to be cracked/crushed/rolled/steam-flaked to allow digestion

Why are Feed Rations (Roughages) Pelleted?

• Improves digestibility

• Easier to transport

• Pack more in

• Stores easier

• Can easily mix with other feed

Nutrients in Feedstuffs

• Water: Most essential

  • Die quickly without

• Protein: Needed for cell repairs

  • Supplements are expensive

• Carbohydrates: Main energy source

• Lipids (fats & oils): Functions as insulation and protection

  • 2.25 x Energy

• Vitamins: Organic Catalysts

• Minerals (Ash): A crude measurement of elements that don’t burn

• Feed additives: Stimulates growth

Relative Amount of Nutrients in a Feed

• Need to memorize this chart!

• NFE = Nitrogen-Free Extract

Water

• Not necessarily the cheapest anymore, but is the most abundant

  • Abundant in places that do not benefit anyone (the ocean)

  • Scarce when and where it is needed the most

• Obtained via drinking, ingested with feed, metabolic (nutrient breakdown)

Functions of Water

• Regulates temperature through saliva/sweating

• Transports nutrients & excretions

• Maintains cell shape

• Lubricates & cushions joins (synovial fluid contains water)

Proteins

• Building blocks are Amino Acids

  • Two categories: Essential and Non-essential

  • Need to know: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine & Lysine (HILL); essential

Lysine

• Most common amino acid

• Most limiting amino acid

  • Involved in growth, tissue repair, collagen production

• Must be supplied through supplementation

Average Protein Content

• Equation to determine: Nitrogen x 6.25

  • An avg of 16% Nitrogen is found in Protein

  • Do not need to convert in equation…

    • Feedstuff analyzed 1.92% N, 1.92 × 6.25 = 12% crude protein

What is Digestible Protein?

• The amount of crude protein that can actually be digested

Non-Protein Nitrogen (NPN)

• A substance containing Nitrogen that is NOT a part of an amino acid

• Only fed to ruminant animals

  • Microbes in a rumen can use an NPN as a nitrogen source

• Example: Urea

Protein Functions

• Basic structural unit of animal and human bodies

• Bodily metabolism (enzymes, hormones, anti-bodies, hereditary transmission structures—all require proteins to function properly)

• Energy Source

  • If more protein is consumed than needed, it will be stored as fat or excreted

Carbohydrates

• Created in plants via photosynthesis

• 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

  • Requires Chlorophyl and 673 calories of radiant energy

Carbohydrates: Monosaccharide

• 1 unit of sugar

  • Glucose

    • Most important

  • Fructose

  • Galactose

Carbohydrates: Disaccharide

• 2 simple sugars

• Sucrose: Glucose + Fructose

  • S = G + F

• Maltose: Glucose + Glucose

  • M = G + G

• Lactose: Glucose + Galactose

  • L = G + Gal

Carbohydrates: Trisaccharide

• 3 simple sugars

  • Raffinose: Glucose + Fructose + Galactose

    • R = G + F + G

Carbohydrates: Polysaccharide

• Long chain or branched molecules of several disaccharide subunits

  • Starch & Amylopectin: Easily digested by all digestive systems

  • Cellulose: Only digested by ruminant microbes

  • Lignin (wood): Only digested by termites

Carbohydrate Functions

• Energy

  • Provide enough energy for the body to heat itself

  • Will be stored as fat is more than what is needed is consumed

Components of Energy Chart

• Need to memorize this chart!

Digestibility of Feedstuff Equation

(Feed Consumed – Feed Excreted/Feed Consumed) X 100

Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) Formula

• Digestible Protein + Digestible Crude Fiber + (Digestible Fat x 2.25) + Digestible Nitrogen-Free Extract

  • Just know that you NEED to multiply fat by 2.25 then add them all together

Lipids (Fats & Oils)

• Lipids are made of Fatty Acids & Glycerol

  • Saturated fats like lard & beef tallow will be solid at room temperature

  • Unsaturated fats like cottonseed oil & corn oils will be liquid at room temperature

How many calories do Lipids provide? Proteins & Carbs? How do they compare?

• Lipids provide 9 calories

• Proteins & Carbs provide 4 calories

  • This creates a ratio of 9 to 4 (9:4)

Essential Fatty Acids & Deficiency

• Cannot be produced on their own and must be supplied in the diet

  • Fatty Acids to make note of: Linoleic, Linolenic & Arachidonic

• A deficiency in Fatty Acids will cause skin conditions/diseases

• Reproduction is dependent on fat

What are the functions of Lipids?

1. Energy

   • Will also be stored as fat if too much is consumed (best energy source!)

2. Insulation

   • Keeps heat in

3. Protects internal organs

4. Carries fat-soluble vitamins: D, E, A, K

What is Hydrogenation? Why do we do it?

• Most oils will be partially hydrogenated which lowers their unsaturated fatty acid content, making them saturated

  • Lowers pH and melting point

• If unsaturated oils are not hydrogenated, they will not be usable for too long because a rancid flavor & odor will develop

How do we determine fat content?

• We use Ether extraction because fats are soluble

Cattle, Sheep, and Swine… Rank from most fat to least

1. Swine

   • Swine have the most subcutaneous fat which compensates for not having a lot of hair

2. Cattle

   • Cattle have a good balance of fat and hair

3. Sheep

   • Sheep’s wool compensate for their lack of fat

Vitamins

• Vitamins are organic catalysts that function in biochemical reactions

• The animal body only needs small amounts

• They are split into 2 categories:

  • Fat Soluble: D, E, A, K

  • Water Soluble: Vitamin C, B-Complex, B₁₂

Vitamin D

• Aids in Calcium absorption from the gut

  • Bodies can manufacture it from sunlight

  • Deficiencies can lead to skeletal diseases such as Rickets

Vitamin E

• Has antioxidant properties which help reduce free radicals which enhances an animal’s immunity

  • May help delay the effects of Alzheimer’s

  • Deficiencies can lead to muscle atrophy and reproductive issues

Vitamin A

• Found in dark leafy greens which can be affected by the seasons

• They help with eyesight & night vision

  • Deficiencies will lead to blindness

    • This is caused by the constriction of the optic nerve by the skull; the nerve will grow but the skull remains the same

Vitamin K

• Necessary for blood clotting and can help with rat poison

  • Not many deficiencies but excessive bleeding can occur with injury

  • K for Clot

Vitamin C

• Found in citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, etc.) & forages

• Used for collagen formation

  • Deficiencies can cause bone/skin issues due to lack of collagen formation

B-Complex

• Most function as coenzymes in oxidative metabolic reactions

  • Prevent several disease conditions

    • Nerve disorders, goose stepping, bad skin & hooves, retarded growth, seizures, etc

B₁₂

• Main food source is meat & dairy

  • Aids Calcium and Magnesium

  • Cattle have a rumen bacterium that produces it

  • Deficiencies can lead to anemia

Minerals

• Don’t act alone

  • Balance is as critical as the amount in the diet

  • Components of hormones & enzymes

• Help maintain a cell’s osmotic pressure & pH levels

• Animals need salt to obtain Na & Cl, otherwise, they’ll gain slowly and inefficiently

Mineral Classifications

• Macro is needed in large amounts

  • Ca, P, Na, Cl, Mg, K & S

    • CaNa PCl, Mg KS

      • Can a pickle, magnesium kiss

• Micro is needed in small amounts

  • Fe, Cu, I, Co, Zn, Mn, Se, Mo & F

Calcium vs Phosphorus Ratio

• 2:1 ratio (Ca:P) when feeding

  • Prevents urinary calculi in male ruminants

• Forage animals need Phosphorus supplemented

• Feedlot animals need Calcium supplemented

Calcium (Ca)

• Plays a role in bone strength & density

• Deficiency will cause weak bones

  • Prone to Rickets and Osteoporosis

Phosphorus (P)

• Deficiency will cause a decrease in appetite paired with lack of growth

  • Rickets and impaired reproduction in cattle

Iron (Fe)

• Found in hemoglobin molecules

  • Proteins found in red blood cells that carry O₂

• A deficiency will cause anemia

  • Baby swine will need supplementation

    • Iron found in dirt

Copper (Cu)

• Sheep are highly prone to copper toxicity as it accumulates in their liver

• Deficiency will cause bone abnormality, ataxia, and abnormal hair/wool development

Iodine (I)

• Needed for the synthesis of Thyroxin, the Thyroid hormone

• Deficiency will cause a condition called Goiter

  • Goiter is the inflammation of the thyroid gland

Cobalt (Co)

• Required for B₁₂ synthesization

• Deficiency will cause anemia

Zinc (Zn)

• Deficiency will cause Parakeratosis

  • Irritated, coarse and rough skin

Manganese (Mn)

• Required for bone and cartilage formation

• Deficiency will cause weak/deformed bones and eggshells

Selenium (Se)

• Present in all body cells

  • Highest amounts in liver, kidneys, and muscles

• Deficiency can cause lameness and paralysis

Fluorine (F)

• An excessive intake will cause Flourine Toxicity

  • Chalky and mottled teeth caused by Fluorosis

What is the purpose of Feed Additives?

• Promote growth

• Reduce stress

• Increase palatability

• Add bulk

• Preserve other feeds in diet

What are the biggest feed additives?

• Growth stimulants

  • Increases rate of growth, feed efficiency & lean meat yield

• Antibiotics

  • Reduces health issues, increases rate of growth & feed efficiency

Animal Classifications

• An animal will be one of three classifications

  • Carnivore

  • Herbivore

  • Omnivore

• What an animal consumes will typically determine which category it will end up in

Carnivores

• All carnivores are monogastric

• Carnivores eat meat

• Examples: Dogs and Cats

Herbivores

• Herbivores can be both monogastric & ruminants

• Herbivores eat plant tissues

• Examples: Horses, Rabbits, Cattle, Sheep & Goats

  • Goat, Sheep, and Cattle are ruminants

Omnivores

• Omnivores are monogastric

• Omnivores eat both meat & plant tissue

• Example:

  • Swine

Digestion

• Prepares food for absorption by gut

Forces of Digestion

• Mechanical

  • Chewing

  • G.I. tract muscle contractions

• Chemical

  • G.I. tract produces enzymes

  • Microorganism digest feedstuff (ruminants)

  • HCl is produced in the Abomasium

What affects digestion?

• Temperature: Animals will do better in the cold

• The rate of passage: Animals will absorb more at a slower rate

• Physical form of feed: Cracking/pelleting can increase digestibility

• Heating feed: it can increase digestibility

• Antibiotics: will reduce harmful bacteria & bugs

The Mouth

• Will break down feed with chewing to swallow

The Esophagus

• Carry food to stomach

The Stomach

• Only for monogastrics

• Release HCl to break chemical bonds

The Small Intestine

• All nutrients except complex carbohydrates & water are absorbed into the bloodstream

The Large Intestine

• Water & complex carbohydrates are absorbed while waste begins to form

The Rectum

• Waste exits the body

The Rumen

• Fermentation vat

• The largest of the 4 compartments

• Feed travels into large chunks to the rumen to be stored until fermentation

  • With the help of Reticulum, boluses are stored to be rechewed & swallowed where they are then fermented and have nutrients (Cellulose) utilized by the microbes & bacteria

  • This is a defense mechanism ruminants have as they are prey animals

Reticulum

• Aids in regurgitation

• Once feed is rechewed with saliva, it will travel to the Reticulum as smaller chunks where they get filtered

  • Sometimes, cattle will chew foreign objects, and the Reticulum can stop them from passing any further

  • Honeycomb shaped

Omasum

• Water is absorbed in the bloodstream

  • Nicknamed the “Butcher/Stockman’s Bible” because of its many folds making it look like a large book

Abomasum

• “True Stomach”

  • Anzymes & acids begin to chemically break down the feed by breaking its chemical bonds

    • HCl is produced

What do young ruminants have? What does it do?

• Calves, Kids & Lambs will consume milk through an esophageal groove that shunts milk directly to the abomasum

What teeth do ruminants lack?

• Upper incisors

Which animal utilizes their cecum the most?

• Horses

  • Hindgut fermenters

Does the cecum, rumen, or both have a large population of bacteria?

• Both

Does corn or hay store better in winter?

• Corn