Animal Nutrition: Nutrients, Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Minerals

What is nutrition?

Study of how the body uses food to sustain life, growth, health, and reproduction.

What is feed?

Edible material that provides nutrients to animals.

What are feedstuffs?

Ingredients used as or made into animal feed.

What are nutrients?

Chemical compounds or elements that support life processes.

What is a diet?

A mixture of selected feed ingredients.

What is a ration?

A daily supply of feed and nutrients.

What is the primary principle of animal nutrition?

Supply nutrients in proper proportions without deficiencies or excesses.

What are the six classes of nutrients?

Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and water.

What are essential nutrients?

Nutrients that must be supplied through the diet.

What are nonessential nutrients?

Nutrients the body can synthesize in adequate amounts.

What are the major functions of carbohydrates?

Energy supply, energy storage, and structural components.

What three elements make up carbohydrates?

Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

What are the three carbohydrate classifications?

Monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.

What is a monosaccharide?

A carbohydrate containing one sugar unit.

What is an oligosaccharide?

A carbohydrate containing 2-10 sugar units.

What is a polysaccharide?

A carbohydrate containing more than 10 sugar units.

What are three common monosaccharides?

Glucose, fructose, and galactose.

What is maltose composed of?

Glucose + glucose.

What is sucrose composed of?

Glucose + fructose.

What is lactose composed of?

Glucose + galactose.

What is raffinose composed of?

Glucose + fructose + galactose.

What is the major storage carbohydrate in animals?

Glycogen.

What is the major storage carbohydrate in grains?

Starch.

What is the major structural carbohydrate in plants?

Cellulose.

What are proteins made of?

Amino acids joined by peptide bonds.

What elements are present in proteins?

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; sometimes sulfur.

How many common amino acids are used to build proteins?

Approximately 20.

How many essential amino acids are listed for pigs?

10.

Name the essential amino acids in the lecture.

Lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, leucine, histidine, arginine.

What are the major functions of proteins?

Tissue growth, enzymes, hormones, antibodies, reproduction, and energy.

What is an ideal protein?

A protein with amino acid ratios matching animal requirements.

What is a limiting amino acid?

An amino acid supplied below the ideal proportion for protein synthesis.

What is commonly the first limiting amino acid in corn-based swine diets?

Lysine.

What is nitrogen balance?

Nitrogen intake minus nitrogen losses.

What does positive nitrogen balance indicate?

Net nitrogen retention, such as during growth.

What does negative nitrogen balance indicate?

Nitrogen losses exceed intake.

What are signs of protein deficiency?

Poor growth, anorexia, anemia, fatty liver, and reduced reproduction.

What are the major functions of lipids?

Concentrated energy, essential fatty acids, and cell membranes.

How much energy does fat supply relative to carbohydrates?

Approximately 2.3 times as much, according to the lecture.

What are fat-soluble vitamins?

A, D, E, and K.

What are water-soluble vitamins?

B-complex vitamins and vitamin C.

What is the major function of vitamin A?

Vision and epithelial tissue maintenance.

What is the major function of vitamin D?

Calcium and phosphorus regulation.

What is the major function of vitamin E?

Antioxidant protection.

What is the major function of vitamin K?

Blood clotting.

What are examples of macrominerals?

Calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, sulfur.

What are examples of trace minerals?

Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, manganese, cobalt.

What are calcium and phosphorus important for?

Bone development and physiological functions.

What is iron important for?

Hemoglobin formation and oxygen transport.

What is iodine important for?

Thyroid hormone production.

What are the major functions of water?

Transport, metabolism, temperature regulation, and waste removal.

What are the four major energy systems?

Gross energy, digestible energy, metabolizable energy, net energy.

What is gross energy (GE)?

Total chemical energy contained in feed.

What is digestible energy (DE)?

Gross energy minus fecal energy.

What is metabolizable energy (ME)?

Digestible energy minus urinary and gaseous energy.

What is net energy (NE)?

Metabolizable energy minus heat increment.

What is net energy used for?

Maintenance, growth, pregnancy, and lactation.

What are the four major feed resource categories?

Energy, protein, mineral/vitamin sources, and feed additives.

What is the most widely used grain in U.S. swine diets?

Corn.

What are the major energy feed sources?

Grains, grain by-products, roots/tubers, other plants, fats/oils.

Why is corn an important swine feed?

High starch, high digestibility, and high energy.

What is the approximate crude protein content of corn?

8.3% in the lecture grain table.

Which amino acids are especially low in corn?

Lysine and tryptophan.

Which mineral is deficient in corn?

Calcium.

In what form is much of corn's phosphorus found?

Phytate.

Which vitamin is corn deficient in according to the slides?

Vitamin D.

What is the approximate digestible energy of corn?

3.5 kcal/g in the lecture grain table.

What are examples of grain by-products?

Corn gluten meal, hominy feed, DDGS, and bakery by-products.

What does DDGS stand for?

Distillers dried grains with solubles.

What can limit grain by-product use?

High fiber content and low protein quality.

What are examples of roots and tubers used as feed?

Cassava, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Why is the use of roots and tubers limited?

Processing and storage difficulties.

What are examples of other plant energy sources?

Molasses, sugar, bananas, plantains, and beans.

What are the three protein source categories?

Plant protein, animal protein, and crystalline amino acids.

What is the major plant protein source for pigs?

Soybean meal.

Why is soybean meal widely used?

Palatable, highly digestible, and good protein quality.

What are the common crude protein levels of soybean meal?

44% and 48.5%.

Which amino acid is limiting in soybean meal according to the slides?

Methionine.

Why is soybean meal heat-treated?

To reduce antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors.

What are examples of plant protein sources?

Soybean, canola, cottonseed, peanut, and sunflower meals.

What are examples of animal protein sources?

Fish meal, blood meal, meat and bone meal, and milk products.

What are crystalline amino acids?

Purified amino acids added to improve dietary amino acid balance.

What is phytase?

An enzyme that helps release phosphorus from phytate.

What is a major benefit of feed enzymes?

Improved nutrient availability and utilization.

Why does nutrient composition vary among feedstuffs?

Ingredient source, processing, storage, and other factors.

What type of digestive system do pigs have?

Monogastric.

Are pigs herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores?

Omnivores.

What type of diet is emphasized for pigs?

High-starch, relatively low-fiber diets.

What is the order of the digestive tract?

Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, anus.

What are the three accessory digestive glands?

Salivary glands, liver, and pancreas.

What is the function of the mouth?

Prehension, chewing, and mixing feed with saliva.

What is the function of the esophagus?

Transport feed to the stomach.

What are the major functions of the stomach?

Store, digest, and move feed.

What is the approximate stomach pH in the lecture?

2.0.

What are the three sections of the small intestine?

Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

What is the function of the duodenum?

Receives digestive secretions and supports active digestion.

What are the major functions of the jejunum and ileum?

Digestion and nutrient absorption.

How long is the pig's small intestine in the lecture?

Approximately 60 feet.

What are the three major large intestine sections?

Cecum, colon, and rectum.

What are the major functions of the large intestine?

Water absorption, fermentation, and fecal storage.