Final - Basic Nutrition for Pets

Why beta-carotene cannot be used as a source of Vitamin A for cats

big molecule converted to vitamin A through an enzyme through gastrointestional tract, cats lack the enzyme

What groups of vitamins are required to be added in the diet of cats?

Vitamin A, Vitamin B3 (tryptophan), Vitamin B6

On what scale is the BCS assessed for cats

1-5

What is the ideal BCS for cats

3

How does the protein quality and quantity have to be chanced for senior cats?

lower quantity but higher quality (mix of animal and plant) to counteract the kidney function, reduce Na, K, Cl

How is the feed intake limited or encouraged for senior cats?

Different strategies; Limited availability as activity level goes down (1/day), if activity level increases then offer more times a day also increase more times a day if not eating

Why young and growing horses require less % of nutrient in their daily ration than dogs and cats?

they have a slower growth rate so they require less milk per body weight than cats and dogs

What are the limitation of allowing young horses only to grass pastures?

not providing enough vitamins and minerals, deficiency in protein, Ca, energy

What is Developmental Orthopedic Diseases (DOD) in horses and how that can be prevented nutritionally?

caused by rapid growth of horses, push to grow faster = pressure along joints and inflammation of edifices, can cause lameness, reduce energy and protein content, reducing grain in diet and replace with fiber, reduce Cu and Zn to 50 ppm, proper supply of Ca and P

What strategies can be used to minimize the rate of obesity in horses?

reduce grains, more mature hay, decrease intake, provide adequate exercise, well-balance (5-10% grains), look at body conditioning scales

What chemical reactions provide energy to do exercise in horses?

regular exercise: energy obtained by glucose and glycolysis (making pyruvate),

Higher energy: more lactic acid produced (liver → glucose → gluconeogenesis), pyruvate limited,

beta-oxidation is active when the activity level goes up

What components of ration should be increase during exercise in horses?

increase dietary protein, increase minerals in feed

What feeding strategies are appropriate for end of pregnancy/early lactation in horses?

energy demands and food intake goes up, meeting requirements, 1% of BW grains, limit grains if gain weight, offer more food when portion increased

What is Azoturia in horses and how that can be prevented nutritionally?

forces muscle breakdown due to activity with a period of rest after hard work, genetic PSSM, rupture muscle cells (myoglobin in urine), balanced ratio in small amounts, avoid CHO, moderate, regular exercise, limiting starch, adding supplemental fat

What is HYPP in horses and how that can be treated nutritionally

too much potassium in blood circulation causing paralysis and stiffness in the muscle, genetic (malfunction of Na:K pump), cause hyperkalemia, feeding old hay, use less potassium fertilizer, taking potassium out of mineral mix

What are the pros/cons/ of using sodium bicarbonate and probiotics for horses?

pros- prevent lower blood pH (Acidosis), increase good bacterial population

cons- lower calcium , affect heart and skeletal function, not complete research, costly

What is an optimal feeding strategy for senior horses?

feeding goal is to provide a lesser amount of highly digestible ration high quality grass and legume limit grains, vitamin and mineral supplement reduced, add molasses as sweetener to promote feed intake

What is the difference between normal fecal pellets and cecotropes in rabbits

cecotropes have nutritional value for rabbits to absorb the second time, normal fecal pellets during day, cecotropes at night, higher protein and less fiber

What is coprophagy and cecotrphy

Copropnagy -consumption of feces

Cecotrophy - consumption of cecortrophs

What is the primary source of nutrient for growing rabbits? Why is it important?

forages with 12-14% crude fiber (teeth development, cecum functioning)

What is an ideal feeding strategy towards the end of gestation/early lactation in rabbits?

provide small amount of grains, provide vitamins, minerals, protein, grains (1% BW)

Why high-fiber but not high-starch diets are useful for aging rabbits

high quality fiber (decreases saliva production), high-starch (slow down digestive tract - feed stop in tract, indigestible hair balls cause problems)

What are trichobezoars (hair balls) in rabbits? How can they be removed from the GI tract?

grooming behaviors - less fiber not able to remove extra hair in GI tract and unable to vomit, removal process(surgery (large)or adding more fiber(small), mineral oil (small), provide regular exercise)

What are the digestive functions of four-compartment stomach of ruminants?

rumen & reticulum - digestion of fiber

omassum - not well developed (psuedoruminants), filter lessen particle size

abomassum - glandular stomach of ruminants, enzymatic digestion

Why llamas and alpacas should be fed with different types of plant species?

grass - protein calcium energy deficiency

legume - high in protein and calcium

grains - high in protein and calcium

mixture of grass, legume, grains

What are optimal feeding strategies for crea before and after weaning?

given full access to colostrum 24-48 hours of life, 8-10% of BW, mom nursing young, strip milk to make sure enough milk if not enough provide frozen for cows or sheep

What vitamins should be added to diets of llamas and alpacas if older forage is fed?

supplement A and E at 1-1.5% of total mix if low qualtiy mix provided to feed

What is grass tetany and how that can be avoided nutritionally

lower magnesium amounts, placed in rapidly growing pastures in spring and fall, wait until plants mature and develop magnesium levels, add magnesium oxide at .75% to mix

What is an ideal feeding plan for llamas and alpacas during gestation and lactation?

free choice/ slightly limited feeding of good hay and mineral mix, end G& early L: small amount of grains - BCS dependent, good quality forage and mineral/vitamin mix