intro to animal science

What is animal science?

the scientific study of animals; concerned with science and business of animals, foods of animal origin and companions

How are animals utilized by humans?

food productions, other animal products, draft animals, biomedical models

what are some animal products

meat, dairy or wool and feathers

What are some global trends we talked about?

as global population goes up, we need to make more food, more animals and develop ag technology

what are some factors that affect food choices?

affordable nutritious, good tasting variety, convent, healthful, well-being, causes/status

what is animal welfare?

refers to how an animal is coping with its environment and living conditions

what are animal rights?

animals have worth and therefore a right to not be used for any purpose

what is sentience?

the capacity to have feelings that they experience as pleasant or unpleasant

what is suffering?

one or more bad feeling that continues for a long time

what is anthropomorphism

we use humans as a starting point for considering what animals may need to have a good life and limit suffering. “Human-based” assessment

what concerns regarding death in animal welfare are there

death itself itself is not a welfare concern, but the manner of death is. high mortality = poor welfare

what are the five freedoms

1. freedom from hunger and thirst

2. freedom from discomfort

3. freedom from pain, injury, and diseases

4. freedom to express normal behavior

5. freedom from fear and distress

what are welfare inputs and outputs?

inputs are measures of environment and resources- food, heat

outputs are measures of the animal’s response- normal behavior, production

what is ethology

the study of animal behavior with an emphasis on behavioral patterns

what us behavior?

all the ways animals react with other members of their species and other organism of other species and with environment

what are the four questions in understanding animal behavior

Found by Niko Tinbergen

what caused it? (mechanism)

how did it develop?(ontogeny)

how does it affection fitness?(function/adaptive value)

how does it evolve? (phylogeny)

what is behavioral causation?

what caused the behavior? what triggers it, what body part carries it out?

what is behavioral development?

how the behavior develops, how does it present early on and does it change?

what is behavioral function and adaptive value?

how does the behavior affect fitness and survival

what is behavioral phylogeny

how does it evolve, how does it compare to related species, why did it evolve?

what are cues that trigger behavior

Hibernation- environmental cues often trigger hibernation behavior

estivation- like hibernation, but it occurs in the summer months

migration- a behavior in which animals move from one location to another in a seasonal pattern

circadian rhythm- triggered by animal’s internal body clock

what is altruistic behavior?

behavior that reduces an individual’s fitness while increasing that of other organisms

why doe animals perform altruistic behavior?

because it increases survival of the group

how does natural selection shape behavior?

heritable features that increase fitness become more common because they will have higher survival rates and those with less desirable traits will die off

what is learned behavior?

behavior that is not inherited, develop during organism’s lifetime as the result of experience and environmental influence

what is innate behavior

genetically hardwired and behavior that is inherited by parents

types of innate behavior

reflex action- involuntary and rapid response to stimulus/ cue

fixed action patterns- predictable series of actions triggered by a key stimulus; once triggered it will complete even if stimulus is gone

Kinesis and taxis-

Kinesis- an organism changes its movement in a nondirectional way

taxis- a form of movement behavior that involves movement towards or away from a stimulus

what is pavlovian and skinnerian conditioning?

Pavlovian(classical) signal is placed before reflex working with involuntary behavior- elicited

Skinnerian (operant) reinforcing or punishing stimulus is given after behavior working with voluntary behavior- emitted

what is communication

to rely information from one animal to another causing a change or response in receiving animal

what is a signal

behavior that causes change in another’s behavior

what is a phermone and what method of communication does it belong to?

pheromone is a secreted chemical signal used to trigger a response in another individual of the same species- chemical/ olfactory communication

what are the four methods that animals use to communicate?

olfactory

auditory

tactile

visual

example of visual communication

gestures, posture, coloration

example of auditory communication

crying out, calls, bullfrog croaks

example of tactile communication

two much be right next to each other, reinforces social bonds, group grooming

what is communication used for?

obtaining mates

establishing dominance or defending territory

coordinating group behavior

caring for young

what is nutrition

the study of how the body uses nutrients to sustain life, how the body uses nutrients for production

what are essential nutrients

substances in diet that supports the normal functions of body

what are the 6 classes of nutrients

water

carbohydrates

fats

proteins

vitamin

minerals

how are nutrients utilized?

used in metabolism to maintain body for reproduction, growth and lactation

provide energy

building material for the body

metabolic regulators

what is important about water in the diet

lubricant

temp regulation

solvent

transporter

necessary for chemical reactions

makes up 98% of all molecules in body

how do animals meet their water needs

drinking

eat food with water in it

metabolic reactions (water is produced by a chemical reaction that breaks down proteins, carbohydrates and fats)

what is a carbohydrate

sugars, starches, and cellulose

sugars- sweet tasting soluble carbohydrates

starches- carbohydrate composed of thousands of glucose molecules joined by alpha-linkages that form support structure of cereal grains

cellulose- carbohydrates composed of thousands of glucose molecules joined by beta-linkages that forms the support structure of plants

what is the major function of carbohydrates

they are a major energy source; 65-80% of feeds normally consumed

what are proteins

compounds made up of long chains of amino acids

protein functions

components of lean tissue, enzymes and hormones

components of body metabolites

if excess proteins are present, they are used for energy

difference between young and old animals in using proteins

young animals- need protein to build their body

old animals- must only replace exhausted proteins

what are lipids

fats and oils

chemically, lipids are triacyl glycerides which are composed of alcohol glycerol, with 3 fatty acids attached

how much energy do lipids provide

2.25x more energy/unit than carbohydrates

what are vitamins

group dissimilar set of organic substances required in very small quantities by the body

what biological functions are lipids important in?

blooding clotting vision, tissue repair, bone growth

what is the difference between fat soluble and water soluble vitamins?

Fat soluble:can be stored and accumulated in the liver and other fatty tissues

water soluble: cannot be stored in the tissues.
◦ Must be provided regularly as a deficiencies can develop in a short time

what are minerals

specific set of inorganic elements thus far established as necessary for life in one or more animal species

what are some biological functions minerals are important in

fluid balance, constitutes bones and teeth, acid-base balance, nerve transmission

what 3 stages of life are nutrients required for?

Maintenance:
◦ The needs of the animal exclusive of those required for
productive function such as growth, work, milk
production, or reproduction.
Growth:
◦ The process of adding tissues similar to those already
present in the body to increase the size of an organism
toward the goal of maturity when growth stops.
Finishing:
◦ Usually refers to the final feeding stages when animals
are readied for market.

what is production? what is work? why are nutrients needed?

production- output or usable products and services by an animal

work- physical exertion as a production function

to have energy, strength, and overall good health

what nutrients are required in reproduction?

vitamin a

what is a vitamin deficiency

decline in health due to lack of a vitamin in a ratio

difference between mircomineral and macro minerals

mircomineral required in small amounts, referred to as trace minerals and present at low level in body

macro minerals required in large amounts, present in the animal body in larger mount in diet

what are the critical vitamins we discussed in detail?

vitamine a

vitamin d

vitamin k

vitamin c

Vitamin A and deficiency

function: development of healthy skin and nerve tissue, functions in eyesight and bone formation, it is important in the nutrition of pregnant females

deficiency: reduced/diminished growth in young, eye condition= Xerophthalmia, night blindness= severe symptom

Source of vit a- green, leafy hays, legumes

storage liver and fatty tissues

all animals require

Vitamin d and deficiency

function: is essential for proper utilization of calcium and phosphorus to produce normal and healthy bones

deficiency: reduced/diminished growth, misshapen bones(rickets), lameness and osteoporosis. infants: irreversible bone deformities, children: rickets, delayed tooth development, weak muscles, soften skulls, adults: osteoporosis, hypocalcemia

sunshine vitamin

synthesized in various material when they are exposed to sunlight

Vitamin k and deficiency

functions: necessary for maintenance of normal blood coagulation

deficiencies: blood loses it power to clot or time needed for clotting, serious hemorrhages can result from slight wound or bruises

grazing animals can synthesize own vitamin k when forage, swine and adult poultry can synthesize vitamin k to some degree, baby chicks must receive vitamin k in diet

sources leafy greens

Vitamin c and deficiency

function: effect on metabolism of calcium in the body, not required in rations of farm animals

deficiency: none demonstrated in livestock, human deficiency is scurvy(swollen joints and bleeding gums) and brittleness of bones

sources citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy vegetables and potatoes

what’s special about vitamin c in livestock

they don’t need it

what are the critical minerals discussed?

calcium

phosphorus

sodium’potassium

chlorine

iron

calcium and deficiency

functions: major component of bones and teeth, essential in blood coagulation, nerve and muscle function, milk and egg production

deficiency signs: reduced/ diminished growth, deformed bones in young animals(rickets), soft shelled eggs, osteoporosis in older animals

phosphorus and deficiency

function:essential for the formation of bones, teeth, and body fluids, required for metabolism, cell respiration and normal reproduction

deficiency: similar to calcium deficiency, lack of appetite, poor reproduction and unthrifty appearance

sodium, potassium, chlorine and deficiency

functions: help in creating an ionic balance and in keeping cells alive, vital role in maintaining the acid-base balance, osmotic pressure in intra- and extracellular fluids

deficiency: usually these elements are fairly abundant in normal diets and deficiency is rare, excessive cramping

iron and deficiency

functions: essential for the function of every organ and tissue of body(hemoglobin)

deficiency signs: seldom occurs in older animals, nutritional anemia, labored breathing, pale eyelids and nose

what is digestion?

the physical, chemical and enzymatic means of the body uses to render feedstuff ready for adsorption

what is the function of the gastrointestinal tract?

break down complex nutrients

what 2 major digestive systems have we covered? examples?

mono gastric: human and ruminant: cow

what are the 3 types of digestion? examples?

mechanical digestion- chewing

chemical digestion- hcl

enzymatic- amylase

6 steps of digestion

prehension-bringing to mouth

mastication-chewing

deglutition- swallowing

stomach and feedstuff breakdown- churning actions, contraction of soft muscles, chemical digestion hcl

intestinal tract and feedstuff breakdown- small intestine

elimination- pooping

what does the word mono mean? the word gastric?

one stomach chamber

do mono gastric animals digest grains easily? what about fiber?

grains, yes

fibers, no unless they have large cecum

role of mouth

chews food: mechancial and enzymatic digestion

roles of esophagus

transports food to stomach using peristaltic type contractions

role of stomach

enzymatic digestion:pepsin to break down proteins, renin to break down milk

chemical digestion: hydrochloric acid to break down nutrients

mechanical digestion: smooth muscle contractions

small intestine role

function: further breaks down nutrients and absorbs nutrients into blood stream

made up of duodenum: place where bile mixes with fats

jejunum: helps to further digest food coming from stomach and absorbs nutrients and water from food so they can be used by the body

ileum: last part of the small intestine connects to cecum

role of cecum

digest fibrous material

role of large intestine

water absorption and feces formation

what is the difference between mono gastric forget and handgun fermenters

the handgun fermenters can ferment cellulose more, body’s symbiotic microorganisms

foregut- stomach and small intestine

hindgut- cecum and colon

why should dietary changes be made slowly?

it gives microbes time to adapt to new diet

what is unique about the chicken?

It does not have mechanical digestion

role of crop in chicken

part of esophagus

stores and moistens food

role of proventriculus

like stomach, provides digestive secretions

role of gizzard

located after proventriculus

very muscular

used to grind food

what makes ruminants different from mono gastric animals?

ruminants have four distinct chamber in their digestive tract

what is the largest component

the rumen (80%)

do newborn calves have ruminate?what structure transports milk to the abomasum? if hay or feed is introduced into the diet, how does this affect the rumen?

no they have a pre-ruminate

the esophageal groove delivers milk directly to the abomasum.

hay/feed would help develop and expand rumen

role of rumen microbes? where does the ruminant animal get its protein?

fermentation reaction, fiber digestion, production of proteins, production of volatile fatty acids. breakdown of nutrient, methane production

what is the rumen? what is its function? what are the end products of fermentation in the rumen?

largest part, fermentation vat, bacteria and protozoa breakdown(digest) roughages, microbes synthesize amino acids and b-vitamins, microbes digested in small intestine to release nutrients to the host animal

end products: VFAs the products of fermentation and the animals major energy source, ammonia used to manufacture microbial proteins, gases sources of wasted energy

what is the reticulum? why is it called the hardware stomach?

contains small compartments-honeycomb, assists rumen in mixing, provides area for fermentation

called hardware stomach because it collects things that should be there

how does a reticulum magnet function

these magnets collect any stray metal not meant to be in the animal

magnet is swallowed by the cow and attracts stray metal keeping it in cow’s stomach

objects that leave could pierce the reticulum causing it to deflate

what is the omasum? what is it function?

contains fold, folds may produce grinding action, works to remove water from food, aids in absorptions of fatty acids

what is the abomasum? what is its function

true stomach, performs similar digestive function to stomach, glandular stomach, secretes digestive juices, breaks down food stuff further for absorption, absorbs some nutrients

how does food move through ruminant digestive system?

rumen>reticulum>omasum>abomasum

what are the four steps of feed utilization?

digestion

absorption

circulation

metabolism