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Animal Management Y1 > Nutrition > Flashcards

Nutrition Flashcards

1
Q

Define nutrition.

A

The sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilises food substances. The science which interprets the relationship of food to the functioning living organism.

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2
Q

What is the importance of nutrition?

A
  • Need to accurately understand nutritional needs to meet species requirements.
  • Production animal feed is a major 70% cost of production.
  • Prevention of disease by appropriate nutrition for all life stages.
  • Treatment of disease by implementing diet change.
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3
Q

What are the key nutritional strategies developed by mammals?

A

Herbivores:

  • Ruminants are foregut fermenters
  • Equids and lagomorphs are hind gut fermenters
  • Rodents are non-fermenters
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4
Q

What regulates food intake?

A

Regulated by the hypothalamus’s feeding centre in the lateral nuclei, which is essentially constantly active, unless supressed. Can be suppressed by the satiety centre. Other inputs include signals from the gastrointestinal tract, the CNS and the environment.

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5
Q

Define satiety.

A

The feeling of fully satisfied or satiated via a meal.

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6
Q

What stimulates and inhibits food intake?

A

Stimulation: Ghrelin

Inhibition:
• Gastric distention
• GI hormones – peptide YY, cholecystokinin, insulin
• Leptin, a fat hormone that contributes to satiety

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7
Q

Describe the dietary requirements of cats.

A
  • High protein requirement, as cats use proteins for energy using glucogenic amino acids, as well as protein providing nitrogen and essential amino acids.
  • Obligate carnivores with an absolute dietary requirement of taurine, arachidonic acid and vitamin A, which come from high quality animal protein.
  • Dietary taurine and arginine are essential amino acids as cats are deficient in endogenous enzyme activities.
  • Vitamins D and Niacin (B3) are essential.
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8
Q

Describe the dietary requirements of dogs.

A
  • Largely omnivorous metabolism and nutritional needs
  • Retain some carnivorous features
  • Obligate bile acid conjugation with taurine and dietary requirement for vitamin D
  • Some dietary fatty acids are essential: polysaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid, alpha-linoleic acid.
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9
Q

What is the water intake for cats and dogs?

A
  • Cats = 50 ml per kg a day

* Dogs = 90-100 ml per kg a day

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10
Q

Name and describe 3 feeding practices.

A
  • Ad lib feeding – unlimited, free access. Pet chooses when to eat, usually with dry food and is common with cats. But is difficult to monitor appetite.
  • Portion feeding – amount is limited, ideally more than 1/2-3 meals a day. Easy to control intake and monitor appetite, common in dogs.
  • Timed feeding – time limited ad lib feeding is less common and usually used when using fresh foods.
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11
Q

What is the difference between complete and complementary diets?

A

Complete diets – meets all dietary requirements for the specified recipient, such as species, age, neuter status, breed. Easiest to achieve with commercial diets – dry, kibble, pellet, wet, tinned, touches, alutrays.

Complementary diet – lacks at least 1 essential dietary requirement and is appropriate as a minor dietary source, like 10% of calorie intake for that day.

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12
Q

What are the dangers of raw feeding?

A
  • Can have intestinal perforation from bones in raw food, which has a 50% survival rate.
  • Larvae from raw meat can spread to humans
  • High levels of bacterial contamination, threatening humans and dogs
  • Deficient in calcium and other nutrients
  • More processed and ground foods have higher contamination
  • Freezing below temperatures of household freezers may have further pathogen destruction
  • TB and salmonella
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13
Q

Can cats and dogs have vegetarian diets?

A

Dogs and especially cats have high protein requirements.

  • Limited amino acids in vegetarian diet
  • Essential feline dietary nutrients are generally sourced from animal meat
  • Some vegetarian and vegan diets are commercially available but the vast majority are nutritionally inadequate. They tend to have low palatability, digestibility and biological value
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14
Q

What are the transition times to adult maintenance in cats and dogs? What is the biggest risk at this time?

A

12 months = cats and small dogs
15-18 months = medium dogs
18-24 months = large and giant breed dogs

The biggest risk here is obesity from overfeeding due to unmeasured meal quantities, overfeeding snacks and treats, failure to adjust intake based upon body condition, and inadequate exercise.

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15
Q

Describe the nutritional requirements of cats and dogs during pregnancy.

A

Bitches have the most foetal growth in the last trimester and so feeding must be increased in the last trimester. Frequent small meals for reduced abdominal space.

Queens have increased feed intake almost linearly from conception. They can remain ad lib, as they are better at controlling intake than dogs. If not fed ad lib, increase intake by 4-5% a week.

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16
Q

Describe the nutritional requirements for lactating cats and dogs.

A
  • High energy requirements
  • Litter size dependent
  • Peaks 4 weeks post-partum
  • Regular, small, highly palatable and digestible meals
  • Ad lib for queens
  • Feed a complete diet and supplements should not be needed (avoid these during lactation)
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17
Q

What is the effect of neutering on weight?

A
  • Risk of obesity in cats fed ad lib post neutering. Reduced activity post-neutering in queens, so monitor individuals are perhaps move do a different feeding practice.
  • Portion-controlled feeding
  • Monitor body condition score and weight
  • Individualise dietary intake as necessary
  • Some cats ultimately, with gradual increment reductions if/as necessary based upon body condition score and weight, may require intake of up to 30% less post-neutering to maintain their body weight.
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18
Q

Describe feeding for geriatric cats and dogs.

A
  • Geriatric when in the last 25% of lifetime
  • Macronutrient digestibility
  • Consider mobility, cognitive and other concurrent geriatric considerations
  • Water soluble vitamins
  • Very individual process so weight monthly and monitor
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19
Q

How has natural equine behaviour influenced their GI tracts?

A

Horse has evolved to graze so is good at processing large quantities of very fibrous material. Will naturally spend 16 hours a day eating as a selective continuous grazer.

Small stomach and large intestine for this.

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20
Q

What is the capacity and transit time of the equine stomach?

A
  • Capacity is 5-15 litres in adult horse
  • Limits meal size of a 500kg horse to 2.25 kg of grain
  • Transit time of water in 20 minutes
  • Transit time of food is 1 hour
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21
Q

What is the transit time of the equine large intestine?

A
  • Hindgut fermenter so has a large microbial population and has digestion of complex starches, such as lignin and cellulose.
  • Absorption of fluid
  • Transit time is 50 hours, so if a horse stops eating you need to wait 50 hours before faeces output after the period of anorexia.
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22
Q

What are the aims of feeding a horse in appropriate quantity and quality?

A
  • Maintain health
  • Maintain growth
  • Maintain reproduction
  • Maintain body condition, which is important is can be monitored by body condition scoring and weight
  • Allow to perform to genetic ability
  • Reduce the incidence of colic
  • Provide satiety
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23
Q

Where is fat identified on a horse?

A
  • Crest
  • Withers
  • Behind shoulder
  • Ribs
  • Crease down back
  • Tail head
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24
Q

Where is muscle identified on a horse?

A
  • Withers
  • Shoulder
  • Top line
  • Loin
  • Hindquarters
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25
Q

How much forage should a horse have? Name potential sources.

A 
Forage should make up at least 1% of bodyweight. Potential sources:
•	Grass 
•	Hay 
•	Haylage 
•	Silage 
•	Chaff 
•	Lucerne 
•	Alfalfa 
•	Fibre cubes/nuts
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26
Q

What is the importance of forage in an equine diet?

A

Forage must be given because horses have a physiological need as a nutritional requirement and for GI tract microbiome stability, and because horses have a psychological need to chew as a behavioural need.

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27
Q

What is the disadvantage of concentrates in an equine diet?

A

Concentrates take less time for horses to eat than forage and confinement reduces time taken to eat because the food is right there the whole time. A bored horses means an increase for stable vices/stereotypies.

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28
Q

Name 5 feeding methods for horses.

A
  • Hangman haynets – takes longer to eat depending on hole size in the nets, hangman part is harder to eat from than being fixed to a wall.
  • Hay bars are fixed to the wall
  • Floor feeding
  • Buckets
  • Home-made hay dispensers

Concentrates can be fed in a bucket or toy at floor or shoulder level.

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29
Q

What is the intake and importance of water in an equine diet?

A

Daily intake is 40-60 ml/kg.

  • Water intake increases 2-3 hours after intake of fibre
  • Chewing stimulates saliva and digestive enzymes throughout the GI tract
  • Fluid for this comes from plasma thus increasing the blood protein concentration and decreasing plasma volume and stimulating thirst

Usually provided, not often natural sources. Often in buckets or troughs, picky eaters may need a slash of juice or electrolytes in the water or some apples in the bucket to make it more interesting.

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30
Q

What are the components of a balanced equine diet?

A 
• Digestible energy 
• Crude protein 
• Minerals – calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium 
• Vitamins: 
  - Fat soluble – A, D, E, K
  - Water soluble – B, C
  - B1 thiamine, B2 riboflavin 
  - Many vitamin B vitamins are made during bacterial fermentation in the hindgut
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31
Q

What is the food intake of horses?

A

Horses eat approximately 2-2.5% of their bodyweight as dry matter each day voluntarily/ so a 500kg horse will eat 10 kg a day of dry matter.

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32
Q

What carbohydrates do horses require?

A

Horses need complex carbohydrates not sugars.

Experiments show horses fed high carbohydrate diet appear more excitable and have higher heart rate at exercise than those fed high fat diet.

Serum glucose and insulin have been hypothesised as causing behavioural problems.

33
Q

What can happen when horses are fed excess carbphydrates?

A

Excess carbohydrates reach the large intestine where they ferment.

If chronically fed to excess it causes acidic gut syndrome and is associated with behaviours such as bed eating, coprophagia, chewing wood, crib biting and weaving.

It may progress to cause colic, diarrhoea and laminitis.

34
Q

What is the protein requirement of horses?

A

No more than 14% of diet in performance horses with additional protein after a competition if needed for muscle and tissue repair.

Protein quality is important – lysine is the first limiting amino acid.

Excessive protein is above 14% of the diet. This increase urine output as more urea must be eliminated. This may dehydrate the horse and is expensive support this amount of protein.

35
Q

What is the fat requirement in horses?

A

Less than 7% of diet or 15% of concentrates

36
Q

Describe how foals are fed.

A
  • Colostrum produced by mare for 1st 24-48 hours containing immunoglobulins G, M, E and A
  • Foal must suckle within 6-8 hours (expect to start within 2hours) for sufficient absorption of immunoglobulins
  • Needs 250 ml colostrum per hour in the first 6 hours of life
  • Drinks 7-10 times per hour in the first month of life
  • Milk dependant until 3-4 months old
  • Starch absorption before fermentation
  • 10-12 weeks bacteria colonise in the large intestine, they can tolerate no more than 20% of forage in diet
  • Large intestine matures ta 6 months and there can be up to 30% forage in the diet
37
Q

When are foals weaned?

A
  • Weaned when eating 3kg concentrate food per day
  • Usually at 6-8 months old in the autumn
  • Mare does naturally or separate
  • May end up weaning early if orthopaedic challenges or mare requirements
  • If less than 4 months old, milk based foal starter in used
38
Q

What is the optimum delay time for feeding and performance in horses?

A

Optimal delay = 8 hours after feeding. At this time, liver glycogen can be changed into glucose faster than glucose is being used.

39
Q

Describe how to feed an obese horse.

A
  • Aim for slow steady weight loss
  • Aim to increase percentage of fibre and satiety
  • Monitor weight with weight tap e
  • Increase exercise
  • Restrict grazing but maintain more than 1% grazing dry matter a day, using a grazing muzzle or a track system
  • Increase frequency and difficulty of feeding
40
Q

Describe how to feel an obese donkey.

A
  • Nutrient and energy requirement is approximately 75% of horse
  • Risk of hyperlipidaemia if severe stress/diet
  • Ideal weight loss is less than 2kg a month
  • Usual weight is 140-170kg
  • Cut ration by up to 10%
41
Q

Describe how to feed a thin horse.

A
  • Allow ad lib access to forage of the highest quality available
  • Increase energy using cereals and oils
  • Feed many small meals of concentrate
  • Allow selection of favourites but beware of over-facing some
  • Remember dental care and worming
42
Q

Describe how to feed a geriatric horse.

A
  • Maintain adequate amounts of forage to maintain colon function and satiety
  • Feed short length fibre to reduce chewing requirement
  • If thin, use oils for energy, vitamin E and selenium too
  • Increase protein and lysine fraction
  • If obese, reduce carbohydrates and oil and increase fibre content
43
Q

What is the consequence on energy balance post calving in heifers?

A

Nutrient demands are for maintenance, lactation and growth.

  • So post-calving there is increased demands on the cow
  • But her appetite decreases for up to 4 weeks post calving
  • This means there is an inevitable energy deficiency or negative energy balance
  • May have to break down muscle or other tissues to supply these demands
44
Q

What are the energy demands for reproduction?

A
  • Body maintenance is 70 MJ
  • Energy on milk produced per day is 5 MJ/L
  • If she produces 40 litres a day = 270 MJ
  • If she produces 60 litres a day = 370 MJ
45
Q

What are the energy requirements for a lactating dairy cow?

A
  • Maintenance is 70 MJ a day and milk production is 5MJ/L
  • Growth and weight gain varies according to tissue but will be 5MJ/kg for lean tissue and 39MJ/kg for fat
  • So it is assumed to be 35MJ/kg to allow growth of a lactating dairy cow
  • Foetal growth has minimal energy demand in early pregnancy but at full term will have a demand of 40MJ a day
  • Weight loss is 20MJ/kg, the body’s own reserves that can be used for lactation, which will sustain about 4L/kg of milk, so reserves will be burnt through very quickly
46
Q

What 2 parts can dietary protein be split into in the rumen?

A
  • Rumen degradable protein, RDP – degrades at different rates, so called effective ruminal degradable protein
  • Undegraded dietary protein, UDP – not degraded in the rumen and passes through to be digested in the abomasum and small intestines
47
Q

How are proteins metabolised in ruminants?

A
  • Rumen degradable energy and fermentable metabolisable energy feeds the microbes
  • This produces microbial crude protein, which can be broken down into true proteins/nucleic acids
  • Cow absorbs the microbial crude proteins and the digestible undegraded proteins, these are the metabolisable energy
48
Q

How can the dry matter intake of a dairy cow be calculated?

A

Dry matter intake can be roughly calculated: (0.025 x the live weight in kg) + (0.1 x milk yield in kg or L) = roughly 20.75 kg a day

49
Q

How many cubicles are required for a dairy herd and why is this importance?

A

The new dairy cow will have a lower social place in the hierarchy of the herd and may be bullied out of space at the feed face and cubicles. This will give her less time to ruminate and eat. This is why it is so important to have sufficient cubicles and feed space. Generally there should be 105 more cubicles than cows and 75-100 cm per cow at the feed face. Feeding systems will differ but the basic principle is that food is always available and the cows have unfettered access to it.

50
Q

What are 5 ways that dry matter intake can be provided?

A
  • Total or partial mixed ration
  • Forage plus parlous feeding
  • Forage plus out of parlour feeding
  • Self-feed silage
  • Grazed grass
51
Q

What are 4 grazing systems can be used for dairy cows?

A
  • Strip grazing – fence is moved by a strip every day to allow access to fresh graze
  • Paddock grazing – rotated around paddocks so every day they get fresh paddock growth
  • Zero grazing – grass cut and brough to cows
  • Set stocking – same pasture, eating grass as it growth
52
Q

Describe total and partial mixed rationing systems.

A

TMR and PMR – mixed rationing comprising all or most of what the cow will need. In and out of parlour feeders provide concentrates as maintenance plus extra required for milking, growth and pregnancy

  • A complete diet that is consistent for the group, made up of silage, concentrates, additives (fats, urea, trace element supplements, minerals)
  • It is fed at the feed face and is provided ad lib to cows throughout the day
  • May be fed to allow all lactating cows or may be to tailored groups
  • However, it does require specialist equipment like mixer wagons
53
Q

Describe in parlour feeding systems

A
  • Cows are given forage at the feed face and are fed extra in the parlour
  • Maximised by knowing the yields of the cows and so amount of concentrate feed in tailored
  • Limited by maintenance and milk production, as well as intake ability
  • 0.4kg concentrate per litre of milk produced over maintenance calculation
  • Should not exceed 0.4 kg concentrate in a single meal or there is a risk of acidosis or bloat
  • Generally, 0.4 kg concentrate provides sufficient energy for 1 litre of milk
  • High yielding cows will spend more time in the parlour so cannot eat as much
54
Q

Describe out of parlour feeding systems.

A
  • Cows are fed a semi TMR and wear electronic collars which identify the cow and her yield
  • There are feeding stations that have an electronic gate, activated by the cow’s collars, allowing them access to a given amount of concentrate over 24 hours tailored to their performance, reducing the chances of acidosis
  • They are expensive and hard to manage when the cows are out to grass over summer
55
Q

Describe the nutrition of a dry cow.

A
  • They may be fed a diet which is rich in Rumen Degradable Protein (as 60% of calf growth is in the latter stage of pregnancy).
  • Often, this is only forage based and unless average BCS is low, little concentrate is supplemented.
  • Important that cows maintain body condition and are not expected to lose condition.
  • Therefore must be dried off in optimal condition.
56
Q

What are transition cows?

A

Transition cows are the last 3 weeks of dry period. This is a time when the cow is now heavily pregnant and the available space in the abdomen is taken up by the growing calf at the expense of the rumen volume.

57
Q

Describe the nutrition of transition cows.

A
  • Significant decrease in Dry Matter Intake.
  • Therefore, the transition diet must be higher in nutrient density (protein and energy) to compensate for this dip in intake.
  • Get gut flora accustomed to post-calving ration, maximise DMI, protect against metabolic diseases
  • Often, this diet is similar, if not the same, except for the mineral content, to the early lactating cow diet. This not only provides the required higher energy, but also prepares the rumen flora for the high-input diet to come.
  • Calcium intakes are often carefully controlled (reduced) in this period to stimulate absorption and mobilisation from the bone.
58
Q

Describe the development of low milk fat syndrome in dairy cows.

A
  1. High concentrate feeding and high quality/low fibre silage.
  2. High starch intake, reduced chewing and rumination causes low saliva flow and low buffering capacity.
  3. pH falls and fermentation becomes unstable.
  4. Acetate and butyrate producing bacteria decline.
  5. This causes fibre digestion and intake to decline and causes milk production to reduce. Fat precursors in the blood also fall, which causes milk fat to decrease.
59
Q

How can milk protein levels be manipulated?

A
  • Milk protein levels and yield increase with increased energy in the ration from fats and starches – increasing Propionate.
  • Milk fat increases with increased fibre in the diet increasing the VFAs Acetate and Butyrate.
60
Q

Define applied nutrition.

A

The act of feeding animals to meet their metabolic and productive needs.

61
Q

Name some beef cattle grazing systems.

A
  • 2 sward system – half grazed and half cut
  • Set-stocking – given number of stock on fixed area
  • Continuous-stocking – area and stock adjusted based upon seasonal grass growth
  • 3 field system – spring 1 field grazed, 2 for cutting. Swap to graze aftermath
  • Black grazing system – fields split into 7 day grazing blocks on 21 day rotation
  • Paddock grazing – 21-28 paddocks for 1 day grazing
  • Strip grazing – animals moved twice daily to match herbage availability
62
Q

How are the metabolic energy requirements of cattle calculated?

A

A dairy cow has the value of 1 livestock unit and others are fractions of this.

  1. Nutrient content of the diet
  2. Determine the appetite of the animal – AFRC values. Rule of thumb for cattle: dry matter intake = (0.025 x liveweight) + (0.1 x milk yield)
  3. Calculate ME requirement of the animal – AFRC values. (Maintenance, production, activity, weight, change) q = ME/GE
  4. Calculate metabolisable protein requirement of the animal – AFRC values (maintenance, production, weight, change)
63
Q

What are the nutritional requirements of beef cattle?

A
  1. Ensure 40% of the diet at least is forage
  2. Ensure 75% of NDF comes from forage
  3. No more 6% unprotected lipid
  4. Calculate mineral requirements using AFRC vales, dry matter intake, production and liveweight
64
Q

Describe cereal/barley beef systems.

A
  • Dairy bred animals fed on high cereal ration via ad lib straw
  • Usually bulls
  • Early weaned at 5 weeks onto concentrate ratio at 16% crude protein
  • Introduce dry food at 7 days old with 0.75-1kg dry matter ta weaning
  • Ad lib 14.5% protein ration from 10-12 weeks
  • Ad lib 12% protein ration from 6 months
  • Slaughter 10-12 months at 430-470kg with a killing out percentage of 54-56%
  • Late maturing breeds suited, such as Friesian, early maturing too fat at light weights
65
Q

Describe maize silage beef systems.

A
  • Dairy bred bulls, similar to barley beef up to 10-12 weeks
  • Maize silage fed ad lib with a target of 16% crude protein
  • Slaughter at 14 months at 445-490kg
  • Late maturing breeds, such as Friesian
66
Q

Describe 18 month grass/cereal beef systems.

A
  • Early weaning at 5 weeks onto silage and concentrate
  • Autumn born Hereford x Friesian is common
  • Turn out to pasture at 200 kg following spring
  • Aim to liveweight ca. 0.8 kg/day
  • Yard at 320-350kg
  • Aim for liveweight gain of 1kg per day on silage and cereal
  • Slaughter 15-20 months at 450-550 kg
67
Q

Describe grass silage beef systems.

A
  • Early weaning at 5 weeks
  • 12 weeks rearing concentrate, restricted to 2kg per day
  • Ab lib silage plus 2 kg or kg concentrate depending on silage quantity
  • Dairy calves x Hereford/Friesian
  • Slaughter 11-15 months at 450-500kg when gaining 1kg a day
68
Q

Describe suckler beef systems.

A
  • Mist varied: mix of pre bred, mixed, up-lands, low-lands
  • Calf stays with mother and weaned at 6 months at 200 kg
  • Spring and autumn calf systems
  • Relies on high quality silage during housing and pasture during grazing
  • Up-lands typically sell weaned calves as stores
  • Lowlands finish stores or complete system finish typically at 20 months at 550-600kg
69
Q

Describe Spring suckler herds and how nutrition is involved in this.

A
  1. Birth in March/April at 30-50kg
  2. Turn out with mother at April/May at 60-100kg at 1-2 months
  3. Graze with mother
  4. Mothers served/AI June/July
    Housed and weaned in October at 300kg at 6 months
  5. High quality silage fed during winter
  6. Turn out in April at 350-400kg at 12 months
  7. Finish at pasture November at 550-600kg at 20 months
  8. Poor growth or weather finish off silage
70
Q

Describe Autumn suckler herds and how nutrition is involved in this.

A
  1. Birth in August/September at 30-50kg
  2. Turn out at weaning in March at 250kg at 6 months and mothers served at December/January
  3. Mothers and calves graze separately
  4. Calves housed in October at 350-400kg at 13 months
  5. High quality silage fed during winter
  6. Turn out in March at 350-400kg at 18 months
  7. Finish at pasture in May at 550-600kg at 20 months
71
Q

What are the nutritional requirements of sheep?

A

Major feed for sheep in the UK is grass in grazing. Nutrition requirements do doffer for the ewe during weaning, flushing and lactation.

Energy requirements:
• Maintenance = 5-10 MJ per day
• Pregnancy at 6 weeks = 6-12 MJ per day
• Lactation = 12.5-25 MJ per day

Protein requirements:
• Maintenance = 65-100 g crude protein per day
• Pregnancy = 11-=-235 g crude protein per day

72
Q

How are ewes fed?

A
  • Flushing – rising plane of nutrition 2-3 weeks prior to tupping
  • First months of pregnancy is when body condition score should be maintained
  • 3rd or 4th month of pregnancy is when forage only diets are accurate
  • Scanning will allow nutrition planning based on number of lambs
  • Concentrate feeding normally begins with 6-8 weeks prior to lambing: 100 g per day increasing to 600 g per day at lambing
  • Housed ewes with good quality silage, concentrates are usually fed 4 weeks prior to lambing to a maximum of 400 g per day
  • Hill flocks may rely on feeding blocks from January, concentrate at 200 g per day and hay bales
  • Feeding based on breed, ewe live weight, body condition score and lamb numbers
73
Q

Describe early lamb systems.

A
  • Lamb September/December for finish March/April
  • Dorset horn crosses
  • Ewes often run on root crops during pregnancy
  • Lambs require high concentrate feeding due to limited grass
74
Q

Describe lambs off grass systems.

A
  • Lamb March/April for finish October/November
  • Wean at 4 months of age with proportion slaughtered off the ewe at 35kg
  • Remaining lambs either finished through grazing, usually high clover content
  • Silage or cereal finishing
  • Sold as store lambs, not finished by 1st October
75
Q

Compare short and long keep stores.

A

Short-keep stores:

  • Either sold directly after weaning for finishing on lowland pasture
  • Finished by farm off roots, kale or pasture
  • 35-40 kg in 6-7 weeks

Long-keep stores:

  • Last year’s lambs – hoggets
  • Usually g=finished off turnips, cabbage, kale or swedes
  • 35 lambs per ha for 6-8 weeks in October/December
76
Q

Describe goat nutrition requirements.

A

Goats actually require a more nutritious diet than other ruminants. Nutrition requirements do differ for the doe during weaning, flushing and lactation

Energy requirements:

  • Maintenance = 0.4MJ per kg of W^0.75
  • Pregnancy at 8 weeks = 0.7 MJ per kg W^0.75
  • Lactation = 5.1 MJ per litre of milk

Protein requirements:

  • Maintenance = 60 g crude protein per day
  • Pregnancy = 120 g crude protein per day
  • Lactation = extra 55 g crude protein per litre of milk
77
Q

Describe how dairy goats are fed.

A
  • DMI = BW x 0.03-0.05)
  • A 70 kg goat will have an intake of 2-3.5 kg dry matter a day
  • Water intake critical = 7 litres a day
  • Dry period – pasture or hat at 1-1.8kg per day
  • Flushing occurs 3 weeks prior to bucking and involves 0.25-0.45 kg per day of cereal
  • Mid gestation at pasture lasts 6 weeks, where cereal is increased to 0.7 kg per day at kidding
  • Post kidding increase cereal t 1.4kg per day by the 4th week of lactation
  • From the 4th week, feed 0.3kg of cereal per litre of milk on top of ad lib forage
  • Late lactation reduce to 0.2kg cereal per litre of milk
  • Kids for meat can be raised on forage with minimal cereal
78
Q

What are modern dairy goat rations?

A
  • Goats have bee shown to tolerate high by-product fibre/high density short fibres
  • Unlike dairy cows, milk fat is not regulated by dietary forage fibre or by reduction in fibre particle size
  • Therefore dairy goat rations during lactation are often formulated with no forage element with all fibre coming from by-products
  • Goats are extremely susceptible to mycotoxins and so silage are rare in diet formulations or if used have to be high quality

Animal Management Y1 (10 decks)

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