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Pre-Vet 3 > 4B. Nutrients > Flashcards

4B. Nutrients Flashcards

1
Q

What is the first step in determining feed quality, and how is nutrient concentration measured?

A

First step: Know how much of each nutrient the feed contains.
Nutrient concentration is determined through laboratory analyses

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2
Q

How can food composition be reported?

A
  1. Air dried: where analysis include moisture content
  2. Dry matter basis: without moisture
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3
Q

What is digestibility? (3)

A
  • Amount of various nutrients in the feed that are absorbed from the digestive tract and varies greatly from feed to feed
  • Important to know how much of the nutrients can be retained by the animal after consumption of a feed
  • Digestibility = feed in - feed out / feed in
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4
Q

What is energy in the context of animal nutrition, and how is it produced?

A

The capacity to do work, measured as heat produced when nutrients are metabolized into carbon dioxide and water.
- Energy molecules: Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins provide energy when broken down.
- Uses of energy: Powers movement, growth, repair, and productive activities in animals.

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5
Q

What is Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) and how is it calculated? (3)

A
  • The sum of digestible fiber, protein, lipids, and carbohydrates in a feed or diet.
  • TDN is related to digestible energy and is often calculated using Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF).
  • It helps determine the energy needs of animals, which account for the largest portion of feed consumed.
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6
Q

What are the different energy systems used in animal diet formulation? (3)

A

a) Digestible Energy (DE)
b) Metabolizable Energy (ME)
c) Net Energy (NE)

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7
Q

What are the two basic functions of energy supplied by feed?

A
  1. Maintenance: Energy required for basal metabolism, voluntary activity, body heat, and cooling. Keeps the animal in a steady state, neither gaining nor losing energy.
  2. Production: Energy for growth, fat deposition, milk, wool, egg production, and sport.
    Production occurs only after maintenance needs are met.
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8
Q

Examples of monogastrics vs ruminants

A

M: pig, chicken, horse
R: cattle, sheep, goats, bisons

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9
Q

Which animal has the highest/lowest proportion of gut capacity in the forestomach?

A

H: cattle
L: sheep

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10
Q

Which animal has the highest proportion of gut capacity in the stomach?

A

H: pig
L: cattle

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11
Q

Which animal has the highest proportion of gut capacity in the small intestine?

A

H: pig
L: cattle

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12
Q

Which animal has the highest proportion of gut capacity in the large intestine?

A

H: horse
L: sheep

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13
Q

Which animal has the highest proportion of gut capacity in the cecum?

A

H: horse
L: cattle

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14
Q

What does the digestion of feed involve? (6)

A
  1. Chewing: Teeth and tongue break food into small pieces to swallow.
  2. Movement: Muscles push food through the digestive tract.
  3. Mixing: Food is mixed with enzymes, acids, bile, and other secretions.
  4. Fats: Bile helps break down fats, and bicarbonate buffers from the pancreas and intestines adjust pH.
  5. Enzymes: Stomach, intestines, and pancreas secrete enzymes to aid digestion (especially in monogastrics and poultry).
  6. Ruminants: Microbial fermentation in the rumen helps digest fiber-rich feed in animals like cows.
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15
Q

What is the salivary glands composed of? (6)

A
  • Mainly water
  • Enzymes like amylase
  • Sodium bicarbonate
  • Na, P, S
  • Electrolytes
  • Antimicrobial agents
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16
Q

What are the functions of saliva? (5)

A
  1. Lubricant - which coats oral mucosa enabling mechanical cleansing
  2. Digestion - moisten food for bolus formation for easy passage to esophagus
  3. Antimicrobial - controls microorganisms in mouth and prevents dental plaque
  4. Ionic salts reservoir – maintains pH bet 6.2 – 7.4
  5. Recycle nutrients – urea, sulfate, Ca, M
17
Q

What are some characteristics of ruminants? (3)

A

Sheep: Known as “nibblers” due to their soft, pliable, and divided upper lip.
Cattle: Tear growing forage using their tongue.
Dental Structure: Ruminants have an upper dental pad instead of upper incisors.

18
Q

What are the components of the digestive tract? (4)

A
  1. Reticulum
  2. Rumen
  3. Omasum
  4. Abomasum - small and large intestine, rectum and anus
19
Q

What is the esophageal/reticular groove in ruminants? (3)

A

Function: Closes during nursing to prevent milk from entering the rumen/reticulum.
- The reflex to close the groove diminishes as the animal ages.
-Young calves fed from a bucket without a nipple may have big bellies because milk goes into the rumen instead of bypassing it.

20
Q

What are the characteristics and functions of the reticulum in ruminants? (6)

A
  • What it is: Small compartment with a honeycomb appearance; continues as the rumen.
  • Function: Acts as a pump to move liquid into and out of the rumen.
  • Non-secretory: Lacks glands for secretion.
  • Retains large particles and objects, facilitating:
  • Regurgitation: Chewing and swallowing for further breakdown.
  • Protection: Prevents large objects from damaging the digestive tract.
21
Q

What is rumination

A

Process of rechewing ruminal contents that have previously been ingested

22
Q

What is regurgitation (5)

A
  • Contraction of the reticulum to bring heavier ingesta to the esophageal region
  • Cardiac sphincter relaxes as the bolus of food reaches it
  • Lower pressure in the esophagus compared to rumen
  • Reverse peristalsis causes a quantity of material to pass through the cardia - esophagus - mouth
23
Q

What is re-deglutition

A
  • Swallowing of bolus
  • When bolus is soaked enough and divided, it enters the omasum through the reticulo-omasal orifice
24
Q

What is hardware disease in ruminants, and how does it affect the reticulum? (5)

A
  • Hardware Disease: Caused by ingesting metal pieces or objects.
  • Retention: Foreign heavy objects “sink” in the reticulum and remain there for the animal’s life.
  • Risks:
    Pointed objects can penetrate the diaphragm, injuring the heart or lungs.
    Can lead to bacteria escaping into the thoracic cavity, causing inflammation or pericarditis.
  • Prevention: A strong magnet can be used to hold metal objects within the reticulum.
25
Q

What are the characteristics and functions of the rumen in ruminants? (7)

A
  • Largest compartment in adult cattle, undeveloped and non-functional at birth.
  • Growth stimulated by dry feed, especially grain.
  • Serves as a fermentation vat and holding tank (approximately 184 liters in adult dairy cows).
  • Responsible for soaking, mixing, and fermenting feed.
  • Largest compartment of the forestomach, filling most of the left abdominal cavity.
  • Bacteria and protozoa in the rumen and reticulum use roughage (forages) as their food for growth and multiplication.
  • The rumen environment is ideal for microbial growth: warm, moist, nutrient-rich, and anaerobic.
26
Q

What is the role of digestive microbiology in the rumen? (3)

A
  • Has anaerobic protozoa, bacteria, and fungi.
  • Contributes to a positive protein and energy balance.
  • The advantage of a grassland system is derived from microflora, as they utilize roughage (feed the microbes).
27
Q

What are volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in ruminants and examples

A
  • VFAs are products of rumen fermentation and serve as the animal’s energy source.
  • Acetic, propionic, butyric and valeric acids
28
Q

What are the 2 types of carbohydrate fermenting bacteria?

A
  1. Non-structural CHO fermenting bacteria - breaks down starch and soluble sugars, propionate production, influences the type of VFA produced
  2. Structural CHO fermenting bacteria - breaks down cellulose and hemicellulose, acetate production
29
Q

What are the key features of the rumen’s internal structure and its functions? (4)

A
  • Internal Surface Appearance: The rumen has a shaggy carpet appearance due to numerous finger-like projections called papillae.
  • Gas Production: Methane gas and carbon dioxide are produced during fermentation.
  • Eructation: These gases are removed through burping (eructation).
  • Function of Papillae: The finger-like projections increase the surface area for the absorption of volatile fatty acids (VFAs)
30
Q

What is eructation, and what is bloat in ruminants? (3)

A
  • Eructation: The process of removing gas from the forestomach through the esophagus to the pharynx.
  • Bloat: A failure of the eructation mechanism, leading to gas buildup.
    Management: Detergents can be used to reduce frothy conditions in rumen contents and eliminate bubble formation.
  • Risk Factors: Some legume plants, such as alfalfa, have a high risk of causing bloat.
31
Q

How does protein deficiency affect rumen function and carbohydrate breakdown? (2)

A
  • Protein Deficiency: If protein is deficient or resistant to degradation:
    Ammonia production will be low.
    Growth of rumen microorganisms will be low.
  • Consequences: Reduced growth of microorganisms leads to a decrease in the breakdown of carbohydrates (CHO).
32
Q

What is the structure and functions of the omasum in ruminants?(3)

A
  • Filled with muscular laminae covered by a mucous membrane with short, blunt papillae.
  • Functions: Continues fermentation and absorption of volatile fatty acids (VFAs).
  • Usually contains tightly packed, dry digesta that is ground by the papillae.
    Absorbs water and electrolytes.
33
Q

What are the characteristics and functions of the abomasum in ruminants? (4)

A
  • The abomasum is the true stomach of ruminants.
  • Structure: Glandular, containing HCl, Pepsin, Mucus
  • Functions: Breaks down feed protein that escaped fermentation in the forestomach.
  • Digests microbial cells washed from the forestomach with the digesta.
    Involves peristaltic contractions for physical particle reduction and mixing.
34
Q
A
35
Q

What are the main features and functions of the small intestine and large intestine in ruminants? (5)

A

Small Intestine:
- Structure: Elongated tube from the pyloric sphincter to the ileocecal junction.
- Regions: Comprised of three parts: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
- Function: Contains many folds and villi for nutrient absorption.
Large Intestine:
- Components: Includes the cecum and colon.
- Absorbs water

Pre-Vet 3 (37 decks)

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