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Caring for Your Animals

Caring for Your Animals. Developed by: Holly George and Susie Kocher University of California Extension Bob Hamblen, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Bruce Miller, Utah State University Melody Hefner, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. UNCE, Reno, Nev.

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Caring for Your Animals

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  1. Caring for Your Animals Developed by: Holly George and Susie Kocher University of California Extension Bob Hamblen, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Bruce Miller, Utah State University Melody Hefner, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension UNCE, Reno, Nev.

  2. We’ll be covering • Animal digestive systems • Animal nutritional needs • Hay quality • Feed and forage production versus animal needs • Health care and safety issues • Manure management Animal Ownership

  3. The four digestive systems • Ruminant • Pseudo-ruminants • Nonruminant herbivore • Monogastric www.usda.gov www.usda.gov UNCE servicemeansnet/pukite Animal Ownership

  4. Ruminants (cows, goats, sheep, elk, deer and bison) • Have no upper incisors or canine teeth • Have four stomach compartments • Stomach has more space and microorganisms • Can synthesize essential amino acids • Can break down cellulose into volatile fatty acids (VFAs) Beginning Sheperd’s Manual by Barbara Smith Animal Ownership

  5. Ruminant biology • Complex, multi-chambered stomach ferments feed • Microorganisms in stomach convert plant cells into usable energy Animal Ownership

  6. The rumen advantage Animals with rumens can obtain more energy from plant materials than those without rumens because of the fermentation process. www.usda.gov Animal Ownership

  7. Pseudo-ruminants • Llamas, alpacas • Three-chambered stomach system • No rumen, but chew their cud and digest feedstuffs via fermentation and microbial action. alpacainfo.com Animal Ownership

  8. Nonruminant herbivores: horse, rabbit, guinea pig and hamster UNCE, Reno, Nev.

  9. Horses • Digestive system and nutrient requirements are more similar to a pig than to a cow • Compared to cows, horses need less roughage, more and higher quality protein and added B vitamins • Where no pasture is available, a 1,000-pound horse will consume about 25 lbs/day of hay and grain, or about 4.6 tons per year UNCE UNCE, Reno, Nev. Animal Ownership

  10. Special challenges of horses • Formation of bones • Irregular use and/or strenuous exercise UNCE, Reno, Nev.

  11. Special challenges of horses • For increased energy requirements, decrease roughage and increase grain • Limited protein synthesis and poor absorption means that they must be fed high quality protein www.holisticvetpetcare.com

  12. Monogastric (simple-stomached) • Simplest of all digestive systems • Limited capacity, limited microbial action and fiber digestion • Better adapted to concentrated feeds such as grains and meats than to roughages • Single-stomached animals include pigs, birds, fish, dogs, and humans A. Miller www.usda.gov

  13. Swine facts • Pigs are the cleanest domestic farm animal • Given a reasonable amount of space in their pen or pasture, they will select a particular area for manure and not foul their own nest servicemeansnet/pukite Animal Ownership

  14. Avian digestive system • The digestive system of poultry differs considerably from other monogastrics as they have no teeth • Digestion in the fowl is rapid • 2½ hours in laying hens • 8 to 12 hours in non-laying hens www.usda.gov Animal Ownership

  15. Exotic birds • Ratites • Ostrich, emu, rhea • Game birds • Pheasant, sagehen, quail, chukkar, doves • Nutritional needs similar to poultry UNCE, Reno, Nev. Animal Ownership

  16. Digestive tract capacities Animal Ownership

  17. Nutritional needs of animals • Water • Energy • Protein • Minerals • Vitamins NRCS, Bozeman, Mont. Animal Ownership

  18. Water needs • Vary by animal size, reproductive status and weather • Average amounts: • Beef cow or horse: 12 gallons/day • Pig: 8 gallons/day • Llama: 5 gallons/day • Sheep or goat: 4 gallons/day • Amounts needed may double on hot days USDA NRCS

  19. Energy: carbohydrates and fats • Grains • Alfalfa hay • Silage • Pasture and grass hay NRCS, Bozeman, Mont. Animal Ownership

  20. Energy from feed • Depends on digestive tract • Total digestible nutrients (TDN) is a measure of usable energy in a feed for a given species www.farmphoto.com Animal Ownership

  21. Digestibility of feedstuff by species

  22. Protein • Most expensive nutrient • Proteins contain amino acids, the building blocks for muscle, hair, etc. • Quantity of protein fed is more important than quality for ruminants • Nonruminants require higher-quality protein sources Animal Ownership

  23. Crude protein and stage of growth

  24. Minerals Supplement choices: • Mineral block • Feed additive • Water additive www.cgiar.org USDA NRCS Animal Ownership

  25. Mineral requirements vary by: • Species • Breed • Age, sex and growth rate • Nature and rate of reproduction • Lactation • Level and chemical form ingested • Overall balance and adequacy of diet • Hormonal and other physiological activities within the animal • Climate www.ewe.uk.com

  26. Vitamins • Required in small amounts • Essential for metabolism • NOT normally synthesized by the body • Two types: • Fat soluble – A, D, E, K • Water soluble – B, C Animal Ownership

  27.  Vitamins for ruminants • Ruminants produce some, but not all, of their own vitamins • Most ruminants make B, K, and C • Ruminants need A, D, and E in their diet • Can convert A from beta carotene if provided with good quality feed • Can store enough A for four to six months on a vitamin A-deficient diet • Can make enough vitamin D if kept in the sun • A and E are found in leafy green forages Animal Ownership

  28. Nutrient requirements depend on: • Animal’s digestive system • Climate and season of year • Desired gain • Work performance • Production stage (breeding, pregnant, lactating, growing, dry) • Breed www.ewe.uk.com http://services.means.net/pukite/pig Animal Ownership

  29. http://servicemeansnet and www.usda.gov What do your animals need?

  30. Nutrient requirements

  31. Specific needs: horses

  32. Beef cattle

  33. Dairy cattle

  34. Meat goats

  35. Dairy goats

  36. Sheep

  37. Llamas and alpacas UNCE, Reno, Nev.

  38. Swine USDA NRCS

  39. Poultry

  40. Poultry: for meat or eggs? • A laying ration provides two times more vitamin A, 2½ times more vitamin D and at least 3 times more calcium • A mature, lightweight bird will eat about 1/4 pound of feed daily, or 90 lbs/year, while producing about 240+ eggs each year • Broilers can gain 2 pounds for each pound of feed eaten L. Allen, Nev.

  41. Exotic birds

  42. Rabbits www.flicker.com

  43. Let’s talk hay

  44. What determines hay quality? • Type of hay (alfalfa vs. grass) • Stage of plant maturity and leafiness • How well it dried after being cut • Foreign material present (weeds, wire, etc.) • Storage & handling Animal Ownership

  45. You be the judge! • Color • Leafiness • Maturity • Texture • Odor • Foreign material Animal Ownership

  46. Hay judging notes

  47. Your land’s feed/forage potential • Depends on whether you plan to graze animals or produce crops to feed animals www.usda.gov NRCS, Bozeman, Mont. Animal Ownership

  48. Learn the terms • Feed: provided to animals • Measured in tons per acre • Forage: consumed by grazing • Measured by Animal Unit Month (AUM) • 1 AUM = the amount consumed by a 1,000-pound animal in one month Animal Ownership

  49. How much feed do you need? Animal Ownership

  50. Calculating forage production • Amount produced depends on: • Soil fertility • Irrigation • Grazing management • Length of growing season www.farmpicture.com www.usda.gov Animal Ownership

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