Topic 4 of 7 · Form 5
Animal physiology and nutrition
Pearson's square balances two feeds to a target protein level.
Notes for this topic 1 file, in order
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Digestion
- Ruminants (cattle, goats, sheep): four-chambered stomach – rumen (microbial fermentation of cellulose producing volatile fatty acids), reticulum, omasum and abomasum (true stomach). Rumination (chewing the cud).
- Non-ruminants (pigs, poultry): simple stomach; poultry have a crop and gizzard.
Nutrients and feeds
- Energy (carbohydrates, fats), protein (amino acids; ruminants can use non-protein nitrogen such as urea), minerals, vitamins and water.
- Roughages (grass, hay, silage, crop residues) and concentrates (grains, oilseed cakes).
- Feed evaluation: proximate analysis, digestibility, metabolisable energy, crude protein.
Ration formulation
Pearson's square balances two feeds to a target protein level.
Worked example: Make a 16% crude protein feed from maize (9% CP) and soya cake (44% CP).
Parts maize = 44 − 16 = 28; parts soya = 16 − 9 = 7; total 35
Maize 28/35 = 80%; soya 7/35 = 20%
Feeding in the dry season
Hay and silage making, crop residue treatment (urea treatment of stover), fodder banks (legumes), and supplementation with licks.
Physiology
Thermoregulation and heat stress (shade, water), the role of hormones in growth and lactation.
Exam tip: Use Pearson's square for ration questions and always check the final percentage.
Check yourself
- Name the four compartments of a ruminant stomach.
- Why can ruminants use urea as a protein source?
- Give two ways of feeding cattle in the dry season.
Show answers
- Rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum.
- Rumen microbes convert the nitrogen into microbial protein, which the animal digests.
- Any two: hay, silage, treated crop residues, fodder banks, licks and supplements.
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