8. feed intake Flashcards
1
Q
what factors affect digestibility
A
- food composition
- diet/ration composition
- preparation (rolling/crushing/heating)
- enzyme supplementation
- animal facotrs (individual/species variation)
- level of feeding
2
Q
what is lignin
A
- not a carbohydrate
- a complex cross linked polymer of three derivatives of phenylpropane
- has high resistance to chemical degradation (poorly digestible)
- wood, straw and hay are high in lignin
3
Q
how is food intake controlled
A
- physical (stomach size/rumen size/crop size/pregnancy)
- chemical (glucose, CCK, VFAs)
- nervous/hormonal (leptin/ghrelin)
- physiological (energy density = low density food eat more of)
- sensory appraisal/palatability, appetitie, illness, heat, obesity, availibility
4
Q
why do we need to predict/estimate food intake
A
- diet formulation
- feed availibility
- feed budgeting
- reducing feed waste
- determining stock desnities
- conservation management
5
Q
how do we predict food intake
A
- based on animal weight
- rule of thumb ~ 2-3% bodyweight
6
Q
how do we optimise voluntary food intake
A
- clean troughs
- enough space (reduce competition)
- keeping feed infront of animals at all times (minimise time between orts)
- adequate, clean potable water
- good quality feed (no mould)
- mixed forages
- short chop length
- increase palatability
- TMR
7
Q
what is the issue with feeding short chop length to adult ruminants
A
decreases transit time therefore decreases direstability
- longer fibres have to stay in the GIT for longer