Importance of Animal Nutrition to Agriculture

Importance of Animal Nutrition to Agriculture

General Functions That Nutrients Serve in the Animal Body

Economic Importance of Nutrition

A) 3 Functions that Nutrients Serve

1. Maintenance- maintain basic life

processes without any work or production

a) Heat to maintain body temperature

b) Energy is vital functions and a minimum amount

of movement

c) Small amounts of protein, minerals, and vitamins

2. Growth (assimilation of tissue)

3. Reproduction

B) There are also functions which are specific to the

purpose of the animal

1) Finishing/Fattening for market

2) Fitting for show

3) Production (milk, meat, eggs, wool, etc.)

4) Work (horses, movement in environment)

A) Agriculutre is the largest industry in the US (50% of farm cash receipts comes from

the sale of livestock and livestock

products)

B) The cost of feed is 50-75% of the total cost of raising livestock

C) Estimated feed costs for different species vary somewhat

1) Swine: 65-80% of total costs

2) Poultry: 55-65%

3) Dairy: 50-60%

4) Finishing Beef Cattle: 70%

5) Finishing Lambs: 50%

What is Included on a Feed Tag

Feed Tag

Certain Exemptions on Labeling are Common

AAFCO (Association of the American Feed Conrol Officials)

1) No mineral guarantess is needed is no label claims concerning minerals are made and the total mineral content is less than 6.5% of the total contents.

2) No vitamin information is required when the feed contains no claims concerning vitamins or is not being sold as a vitimin supplement

3) Crude protein, crude fat, and crude fiber guaranrees are not needed if the feed is not inteded to furnish these substances or if they are a minor part of the total ingredients

The feed tag found on a commercial bag of feed generally contains the following information:

1) Net Weight

2) Product Name and Brand Name

3) Guaranteed Analysis of the Feed

a) Minimum % of crude protein

b) Maximum or minimum % of equivilant

protein from nonprotein nitrogen

c) Minimum % of crude fat

d) Maximum % of crude fiber

e) Minimum and maximum % of calcium

and salt

f) Minimum % of phosphorus

g) Other minerals

h) Vitamin Content

4) When drugs are used as an additive, requirements must be met

a) The word medicated must be on the

label.

b) The purpose of the medication must

be stated

c) Directions for use and precautionary

statements must be included

d) Active drug ingredients must be

listed

• Developed the "Uniform State Feed Bill"
• Individual states generally regulate the manufacturing and sales of feed. However regulations relating to feed additives are made by the federal government.

Who Determines Nutritional Requirements?

How are the guidelines set?

Who sets the guidelines?

• Subcommittees on each animal specie are formed to review the requirements that were set through years of experimentation
• The NRC reviews and/or revises its requirements every several years

• Research Scientists: at U.S. Agriculture Experiment Stations conduct feeding trials.
• The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences develops the requirements for different livestock species.

Careers in Animal Nutrition

Research

Careers I Found

On your own research 4 different careers available in the animal nutrition field.

Write your findings on a sheet of paper and include:

• Name of the career
• Education requirements of the career
• Salary earned in that career

• Agriculture Instructors
• Livestock producers/farmers
• Nutrition Specialists
• Feedlot Employees/Managers
• Feed Sales Representatives
• Horse Trainers
• Feed Store Managers
• Veterinarians
• Nutrition Researchers

Most of these careers require a college degree, some even require a graduate level degree (masters, PHD, etc.)

KWL

What Do You Want to Know About Animal Nutrition

What Do You Already Know About Animal Nurition

Write down 5 things you would like to learn about animal nutrition.

Write down 5 things that you already know about animal nutrition on the worksheet provided.