Nutrients and Nutrient
Requirements
Topic 3041
Anna Blight
Nutrients
Any feed component that
functions in the support of life
20 Chemical Elements in Nutrients
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Carbon (C)
Calcium (Ca)
Chlorine (Cl)
Cobalt (Co)
Copper (Cu)
Fluorine (F)
Hydrogen (H)
Iodine (I)
Iron (Fe)
Magnesium (Mg)
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Manganese (Mn)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Nitrogen (N)
Oxygen (O)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Selenium (Se)
Sodium (Na)
Sulfur (S)
Zinc (Zn)
Six Basic Classes of Nutrients
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Water
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Composition of Feeds
Concentrates
Roughages
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Cereal grains
Oil meals
Molasses
Dried milk
products
Hays and straws
Silage
Cut green feeds
Grazed forages
Concentrates
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High in energy
Low in fiber
Highly digestible
Includes corn, wheat, barley, oats, milo,
soybean meal, linseed meal, and
cottonseed meal
Roughages
• Less digestible
than concentrates
• Bulkier, coarser
feed
Water
• Most important
nutrient
• Contains
hydrogen and
oxygen
• Transports other
nutrients
• Helps maintain
normal body
temperature
Carbohydrates
• Major energy
source
• Contains carbon,
hydrogen, and
oxygen
• Found in grains
and hays
Fats
• Fats and oils are
primary energy
source
• 2.25 times more
energy / pound
than
carbohydrates
• Contains carbon,
hydrogen, and
oxygen
Protein
• Only nutrient class that contains
nitrogen
• Protein in feeds contain average of 16%
nitrogen
• Building blocks of the body
• Proteins compose most of the muscle
mass
Minerals
• Elements other than carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, and nitrogen
• Macrominerals are required in larger
amounts
• Microminerals required in smaller
amounts
• Necessary for healthy body functions
Vitamins
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Organic nutrients, contain carbon
Provide for very specific body functions
Required in very small amounts
16 known vitamins in animal nutrition
A, C, D, E, K, choline and the B-complex
vitamins
•Two basic functions run by energy
are maintenance and reproduction
•Supplied by nutrients containing carbon
•Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins all supply
energy
•Energy evaluation of feeds is measured
by total digestible nutrients, digestible
energy, energy for metabolism, and
net energy
Importance of Nutrition
Energy supplied by nutrients are
used to drive a variety of body
functions and power animal
movement
Healthy and productive livestock
require proper nutrition
Reference
Taylor, R.E., Field, T.G.
(1998).
Scientific Farm Animal
Production.
Upper Saddle River:
Prentice Hall. Pp.
269-282.