ANIMAL FEEDS AND FEEDINGS

Feed is any complex material given to farm   animals   or   livestock   for production of energy, growth, repairs and regulation of body functions. Farm animals   converts   the   food  into  useful animal products for man e,g. Eggs.

Feeding is one of the factors that determines the success or failure in animal production. The ability of an animal to produce a desired product may not be realized unless the animal is well fed. In feeding farm animals, we should consider the following:

a.  Species and classes of animals to be fed; their anatomy and physiology. Young animals for instance needs more protein-containing foods than adult because of the need for growth,

b.  The need for feeding: Animals are fed to live, grow and produce desired product for which they are kept, These will guide in selecting the type and quantity of feed required.

c.  The forms of the feeds and their food value or nutritional content.

d.  Feeding space for good utilization of food, as overcrowding will prevent some animals from getting enough food for proper body functioning

CLASSIFICATION OF FEED

Classification of feed according to feed elements .

1. Carbohydrates:   They   are   energy yielding foods. It can be divided into sugars, starch and cellulose. Examples are   grains,   molasses,   tubers   (yam, cassava, and potatoes), cereals, etc.

2.   Protein: They are body building foods that are needed for young and growing animals. Adults needed them to repair damaged or worn out tissues.  It is obtained   from   fish   meals,   milk, groundnut cake etc,

3.   Lipids (fat and oil): Fats are called oil when   they   are   liquid   at   room temperature.   It   is   obtained   from groundnut, groundnut cake, milk, cotton seeds, palm kernel, soya bean etc. They also provide energy, but in larger bulk.

4.  Vitamins: They are organic substances present in food in very minute quantities but are vital to the well-being of an organism. It is obtained from eggs, fish liver oils, milk, cheese, fresh green vegetables, fruits, pumpkin, carrot, liver etc. They provide vitality and help in different body synthesis.

5.   Minerals: They are essential for the maintenance of good health. It may be grouped into macroelements needed in large   quantity   (such   as   calcium, phosphorus,   potassium,   sodium, chlorine,   sulphur,   magnesium),   and microelements needed in small quantity (such as iron, iodine, copper, cobalt, zinc,   manganese,   molybdenum, selenium, fluorine).

6.  Water: Water is an essential part of any diet, and is needed for the reactions and processes in the body. The bodies of most animals contain about 60% water that is taken directly by drinking, or with foods. Saliva, hormones, blood and excretory products contain water.

Classification of feeds according to fibre and moisture content

1.  Basal feeds f They are energy feeds from carbohydrates and or fats. They are low in protein and fibre. It includes molasses, cereal grains such as maize, sorghum, barley and oats. It makes up 60-90% of livestock ration.

2.  Energy-yielding feeds: Feeds that are rich in starch and low in fibre. It consists mainly of grain/cereals, root and tubers. They provide energy.

3.  Protein-yielding feeds: Feeds that are rich in protein. They replace damaged tissues and form new ones; e.g fish meal.

4.  Supplements: These are feeds given to animals to supply a deficient nutrient. They are usually rich in protein, and may contain vitamins and minerals. They are obtained from groundnut cake, cotton seeds, fishmeal, blood meal, milk, salt

5.  Concentrates:   They   are   feeds   that supply   primary   nutrients   such   as carbohydrates, protein and fats.  Like supplements, they improve the nutrient balance of the total mixture. They are either energy-rich (e.g. paddy, molasses, coconut meal, rice bran, cotton seed meal); or protein-rich (e.g. soya bean meal, fish meal, blood meal, meat meal and groundnut cake). Feeds made from cereals and other by-products of plants and animals. They provide energy.

6. Forages and Roughages: Feeds that has higher fibre content than their dry weight. They include pasture grasses, -legume crops, maize, sugarcane and stem tubers. When forage is cut and dried as found in hay, it is called fodder.

7. Succulents: They are forages that have high water. content and low fibre content. It consists of green grasses, legumes and green vegetables.

8. Additives: They are synthetic materials that are added to feeds to increase the productivity and efficiency of food conversion in farm animals. Feeds that contain additives are minerals, vitamin, amino acid, antibiotics, hormones etc.

Classification of feeds according to the purpose they serve Livestock ration is the feedstuff making up the daily diet of any livestock. A pig ration may consist of rice bran mixed with corn meal, soya bean meal, fish meal and some green vegetables. Types of ration fed to animals depend on the stages of development of the animal. The different types of ration include the following:

1.  Balanced ration:    This is a type of ration that contains all the food nutrients required by the  animal  in the right proportion. The proportion depends on the age, stage of development., lactating mother, or pregnant.

2.  Maintenance ration: This is a balanced ration that is needed only to supply the energy and protein needed for the animal's physiological processes. Such ration will ensure that there is no loss or gain in weight.

3. Production ration: This is a balanced ration that is given to animals for both maintenance and production of young, fattening, laying and lactation purposes.

FEEDING TOOLS

Feed troughs and Feed storage

Efficient animal production requires a reliable supply of water and feed for a balanced diet. A large range of feedstuffs, including by-products and crop surpluses, may be used, provided they are incorporated into a balanced diet. Feed requirements change as animals grow and depend on the stage of production.

A wide variety of feeding equipment is available. The easiest to clean and sanitize are made from concrete, metal or glazed burnt clay. Trough is often placed in the front wall of the animal house for easier feeding and also to prevent animals from stepping into the trough. It is usually preferable to mix feed meal with water per kilogram of feed. The rest of the water can be given in the trough between feedings or in special drinkers. Clean water must be available to animals at all times.