Animal Nutrition I – SS1 Livestock Farming Lesson Note (First Term)

Animal nutrition is the study of what animals eat, how they use that food and how it keeps them healthy.

• Feed: the food given to farm animals.
• Ration: the amount of feed an animal receives in 24 hours.
• Balanced ration: a ration that contains all the classes of feed in the right amounts.
• Why it matters: without the right feed, animals cannot produce meat, milk and eggs.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define animal nutrition and feed;
2. name the five classes of feed and state what each does for the animal;
3. give Nigerian examples of feed ingredients in each class;
4. describe starter, grower, layer and finisher feeds;
5. list the signs of poor nutrition in farm animals.

What are the five classes of feed?

There are five classes of feed: energy-giving feeds, body-building feeds, minerals, vitamins and water.

• Rule to remember: if one class is missing, the animal will not grow or produce properly.
• Balanced diet: farm animals need all five, just as people need a balanced diet to grow, stay strong and resist disease.

1. What are energy-giving feeds?

Energy-giving feeds are feeds rich in carbohydrates and fats that supply energy to the body.

• What they do: give energy for walking, grazing and breathing, and provide heat to keep the body warm.
• Ingredients: maize, guinea corn (sorghum), millet, cassava peels and yam peels.
• If lacking: the animal becomes thin and weak.

2. What are body-building feeds?

Body-building feeds are feeds rich in protein that build and repair body tissues.

• What they do: build new muscles, repair wounded skin and help young animals grow.
• Ingredients: fish meal, groundnut cake (kulikuli), soybean meal and blood meal.
• If lacking: growth is slow and the animal stays small.

3. What are minerals?

Minerals are nutrients needed in small amounts for strong bones, teeth, eggshells and milk.

• What they do: form bones and teeth, harden eggshells and help in milk production.
• Ingredients: bone meal, oyster shells, limestone and common salt (salt licks).
• If lacking: bones are weak and hens lay soft-shelled eggs.

4. What are vitamins?

Vitamins are nutrients needed in very small amounts to keep the animal healthy and protect it from disease.

• What they do: protect the animal from diseases and keep the eyes and skin healthy.
• Ingredients: fresh green grass (pasture), leafy vegetables and vitamin premix (added to commercial bags of feed).
• If lacking: the animal falls sick easily.

5. Why is water a class of feed?

Water is the class of feed that the body needs most, and an animal dies quickly without it.

• What it does: helps digestion, cools the body in hot weather, and forms a large part of blood and milk.
• Supply: clean, cool, fresh water should be available at all times (ad libitum).
• If lacking: the animal becomes dehydrated and production drops.

Which feed ingredients are common in Nigeria?

Common Nigerian feed ingredients are mostly crops and by-products that farmers can get locally at low cost.

What are starter, grower, layer and finisher feeds?

These are feeds mixed in different recipes to suit the age and purpose of the animal.

• Starter: for young animals such as chicks; very high in protein for fast body growth.
• Grower: for growing young animals; a balance of energy and protein.
• Layer: for hens that lay eggs; extra minerals, especially calcium, for hard eggshells.
• Finisher: for animals about to be sold for meat, such as broilers; extra energy so they put on weight.

What are the signs of poor nutrition (malnutrition)?

Malnutrition is poor health caused by a lack of one or more classes of feed, or by wrong amounts of feed.

1. Stunted growth: the animal stays small even though it is old.
2. Rickets: bowed legs or weak bones (not enough calcium, phosphorus or vitamin D).
3. Poor coat: fur or feathers look dull and rough instead of shiny.
4. Low production: the hen stops laying eggs, or the cow gives less milk.
5. Soft-shelled eggs: hens lack calcium in the feed.
6. Weak resistance: the animal falls sick often.

Why does feed matter to the farmer?

Feed is one of the biggest costs in livestock farming, so feeding well saves money and protects the animals.

• Cost: feed takes a large share of the money spent on rearing animals.
• Local ingredients: mixing maize, groundnut cake and similar ingredients properly lowers the cost of feed.
• Health: a balanced ration keeps animals healthy and productive.
• Profit: healthy animals give more meat, milk and eggs for sale.

Evaluation

1. If a hen is laying eggs with very soft shells that break easily, which class of feed is missing in her diet?
2. List three local energy-giving foods you can find in your kitchen or village.
3. State two things water does in an animal’s body.
4. What is the difference between starter feed and finisher feed?
5. List three signs of poor nutrition in farm animals.

Assignment

Visit a local feed mill or a market where animal feed is sold. Write down the names of three ingredients you see and the class of feed each belongs to.