The following components belong to the system of normalized feeding of animals: norm, diet structure, type of feeding and its regime, methods for monitoring the usefulness of feed given and others. The list of indicators included in the calculation of recipes is constantly expanding. Thanks to normalized feeding, it was possible to significantly increase the productivity of farm animals.
The concept
The full-fledged feeding of animals is of paramount importance to them, since due to it, representatives of the fauna receive nutrients, vitamins and energy that ensure their livelihoods.
Those feeds that enter the body of an animal are processed under the influence of various juices. One part of them is used to build their tissues, replace some cells. Another is necessary to maintain the functioning of internal organs and maintain a certain body temperature.
Inadequate feeding of animals and poor quality feed help to reduce their productivity, lead to various disorders and diseases.
The main indicators taken into account when dosing
The norms for feeding animals are established on the basis of the following main indicators:
- The dry matter content, which determines the amount of feed given. It must be taken into account in order for the animal to receive sufficient and excessive food. So a cow per 100 kg of live weight should give 2-3 kg of dry matter.
- The amount of feed units received with the feed . Use their various dimensions. Currently, oat feed units (k.units), energy (ECE), exchange energy (OE) are used.
- Nitrogen content in digested substances. In farm animals , digestible is usually considered, and in poultry, raw protein. And in those and others, the amino acid content is included in the norms and diets of feeding.
- Also take into account the zootechnical security of 1 to. Units. digestible protein, which for cattle ranges from 100 to 110 g.
- In addition, take into account the need for raw fat, fiber, sugar and starch in the norms and diets of animal feeding.
- Subject to rationing and the content of macro- and microelements in the feed. Of the first, the main ones are calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, and of the second, zinc, copper, cobalt, iodine, etc.
- The diet is provided with vitamins: A, D, E, carotene, for pigs and poultry, the presence of B vitamins is taken into account.
Feed classification
When feeding and keeping animals , the following groups of feeds are used:
- compound feed;
- juicy feed: root and tubers, melons, silage and green feed ;
- rough: chaff, straw, hay;
- vitamins and antibiotics;
- mineral additives;
- protein fillers;
- animal feed: fish, meat, dairy;
- food residues;
- those from technical productions: sugar beet, brewing, alcohol, starch and others;
- concentrates.
The latter include:
- animal dry foods;
- bard;
- beer grains;
- flour dust;
- bran;
- meal;
- oilcake;
- compound feed.
Their attribution to this classification group is due to the fact that they contain the largest number of feed units when compared with other feed products.
Animal feed
The diet of animals provides for such feeds. They contain complete protein, rich in minerals, some with vitamins, are well absorbed and processed by cattle and poultry.
Dairy foods include the following:
- whole milk - necessary for young animals in the first weeks of life;
- colostrum - the secret of the mammary glands during the lactation of animals in the first days of its passage, contains less sugar, but more vitamins, minerals, protein and fat compared to milk, is used when feeding newborns to relieve primal feces;
- inverse - whole milk after removal of fat, mainly used in the diets of calves, weaned pigs and suckers;
- buttermilk - a by-product of oil production (mainly obtained from sweet cream), nutritionally close to the image, used in feeding older calves and pigs;
- whey is a by-product of cheese making, nutritionally inferior to skim milk and buttermilk, used for fattening.
Also, as animal feed, the following types of flour are included in the diets of farm animals:
- from a hydrolyzed pen;
- blood;
- feather meat;
- meat and bone;
- meat;
- fish.
The latter and meat and bone are rich in phosphorus and calcium. All animal feeds have a higher crude protein content compared to other feeds.
The concept of norms
If during the feeding of animals in the diet there is a lack of certain nutrients or elements, this can lead to:
- to the development of vitamin deficiencies;
- stunted growth and development;
- decrease in productivity;
- the appearance of viral diseases.
If animals are fed ad libitum, then they can eat more than they need and exceed the amount that the body can process and absorb. As a result, digestive disorders, other pathologies that can lead to their death may appear. For breeding animals, obesity due to overfeeding is harmful.
The feeding rate is the content of energy and nutrients that fully satisfy the needs of a particular animal of a specific age and sex group. If feeding is carried out in accordance with their needs, it is called normalized. It must be complete and balanced.
The concept of diets
Based on the dosed amount, feed rations are compiled, which is understood as the totality of all feed consumed by a particular animal in a certain time period. In this regard, their daily, seasonal and annual rates are distinguished.
Choosing the right diet on your own is quite a difficult task, since they are normalized by a large number of indicators that need to be balanced. Therefore, there are special programs that, for each species and sex and age group of animals, calculate rations depending on the available feed in the farm.
They have their own names, depending on what types of feed prevail in them:
- voluminous - if concentrates account for up to 10% of a unit;
- dry - if the main feed is straw and hay;
- juicy - if most of the diet is made up of root crops and silage.
In pig farming, concentrate, concentrate-root and concentrate-potato types of diets prevail.
Feeding requirements
As for humans, the exact time of feeding should be determined for animals. This is due to the fact that inadequately performed feeding adversely affects the activity of the digestive glands, digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
Other feeding principles are as follows:
- the number of times the feed was dispensed to saturate the animals;
- the diet should contain various feeds, they should be given to cattle and poultry in such a sequence as to stimulate their appetite;
- new types of feed are introduced into it gradually, since their sharp addition can lead to digestive upset and animal refusal to feed.
Feed Control
It is carried out by the following methods:
- veterinary biochemical;
- zootechnical.
With the help of the first, milk, urine, and blood are examined to establish the state of animal health and metabolic disturbances.
Using zootechnical methods, establish the consistency of feed requirements of the relevant documents for standardization, as well as with the reference book "Norms and diets of feeding farm animals."
Monitoring is carried out during the examination of animals and if deviations from the normal values of certain indicators are detected. The first is held in spring and autumn. Routine animal examinations should be done monthly.
Nutrition Assessment
It is mainly produced by digestible substances. The latter refers to those that, at the end of the digestion process, enter the lymph and blood. The substance digested by the body is calculated as the difference between its content in the feed and its mass concentration in the feces.
There is the concept of “digestibility coefficients”, which is understood as the ratio of the digested nutrient to its total amount consumed. Feed is considered to be the best nutritional value at these high levels in relation to carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Factors Affecting Digestibility
First of all, the species of animals and birds influence this process. Cereals and succulent feeds are best digested by ruminants: sheep, goats, cattle. Coarse feed is the worst exposed to pigs and horses. Bird does not digest fiber well.
In addition, this indicator may be different in identical animals of the same sex and age group. This is especially true for mixed rations. The more animals become older, the worse the nutrients are processed.
With an increase in the amount of fiber in the diet, digestibility of the diet decreases. It is also affected by the level and availability of protein. To control the diet, their protein content is determined, which is the ratio of the amount of digestible fiber, BEV and fat multiplied by 2.25 to the digestible protein. For pigs it should be 12: 1, for ruminants - 10: 1, for young animals - 5-6: 1.
Feed of varying degrees of processing is assimilated by animals differently. They should not be fed with individual ingredients, but with feed mixtures, which are complete and balanced.
Digestibility of feeds also depends on the class of their quality, which is determined after storage before distribution to the animals. In many feeds, the amount of nutrients is reduced, which reduces their digestion and feed value.
Finally
The article discusses the basics of animal feeding. More detailed information is given in specialized textbooks for livestock specialists and veterinarians. Diets are balanced in terms of energy and basic nutrients: crude protein, fat, fiber, amino acid composition, macro- and microelements, vitamins. Data for each ingredient are summarized and obtained, eventually compared with the norms for each group of animals of a certain age and gender group.