Nutrition Flashcards
where is fibre sourced?
in the cell wall
what is forage?
any plant based food that is eaten by grazing or browsing.
provides 50-100% total feed requirement
what effects the digestibility of food?
type and age of grass - lignin content increases with age - harder to digest
why is digestion limited by lignin
lignin cross links to cell wall polysaccharides so they cannot be fermented.
what is herbage mass?
the amount of forage in a particular area of pasture and time of year
ex) highest in spring
define forage availability
the balance between growth and grazing
describe the process of fermentation
grass is left to wilt to remove water
packed into pits for anaerobic respiration (glucose converted to lactate, then to volatile fatty acids)
the low ph kill the bacteria and now the grass is stable
what are the benefits of haylage
younger grass than hay so more digestable
more moisture than hay so less dry matter
less sugar due to more fermentation
describe hay
old grass
85% water removed
high in sugar
low in vitamins, minerals and proteins
describe silage
young grass
high moisture
wrapped in bales
pickled after fermentation
what is straw made from?
cereals
what do legumes make up?
Alfalfa (usually pelleted)
why are cereals fed?
high in carbohydrates (energy) - starch
if hay is soaked in water, what should be added to the diet and why?
a balancer
for minerals, vitamins and energy
what are the disadvantages of haylage
there is less dry matter per kg so horses will feed on other things they’re not meant to, this leads to colic and gastric ulcers.
what can be used to allow horses to constantly chew
concentrates
holes in buckets or metal grids of forage
what is the purpose of concentrates
give additional energy and protein
which straw is not used for horses
wheat straw - low nutrition value
where are cereals broken down?
small intestine
how would you help a horse loose weight
exercise
mussel for slower eating
cut the grass
How much Dry Matter Intake should most animals have
2.5% their body weight
which minerals can cats not synthesise, and where are they found in the diet
Beta Carotenase - meat
taurine - plants
arachidonic acid - fish oil
Niacin B3 (cannot be converted from tryptophan) - animal byproducts and legumes
which minerals can dogs not synthesis
Vitamin D
arachiodonic acid - need to get this from linoleic acid
how would you describe a dog and cats dietary requirements
dog: facilitate carnivores
cats: obligate carnivores
how would you obtain an accurate diet?
recognise physical signs of nutrition
obtain a body fat score
obtain body weight
determine exercise levels
how often should a horse be weighed?
every 2 weeks
