Modern Feeding Practices | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Understanding Protein in Animal Feed

• Protein is essential for animal growth, reproduction, and overall health.
• Crude Protein (CP) or Digestible Crude Protein (DCP) are common measures of protein content in animal feed.
• There are two main types of protein: Rumen Degradable Protein (RDP) and Undegradable Protein (UDP).
• RDP is broken down in the rumen by microbial action to provide nitrogen for ruminal microflora proliferation.
• UDP, also known as bypass protein, bypasses rumen degradation and reaches the lower digestive tract for absorption and utilization.

Role of Bypass Protein

• Bypass protein, or UDP, is crucial for increasing milk production in dairy animals.
• It ensures higher availability of amino acids, leading to enhanced milk production.
• Feeding high-fat, high-protein sources like cotton seeds can help maintain nutrient balance and prevent the mobilization of body reserves.

Importance of Dietary Fat

• Dietary fat plays a significant role in animal nutrition, particularly in milk production.
• Around fifty percent of the fatty acids in milk come from dietary fat sources.
• Higher availability of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) supports milk fat content and overall milk production.

Supplements for Energy and Efficiency

• Certain supplements, like those increasing propionic acid relative to other undegradable fatty acids (UPAs), enhance energy availability and efficiency.
• Examples of such supplements include cereal grains and specific feed additives.
• They improve the utilization of metabolizable energy for productive purposes, leading to better animal performance.

Differences in Starch Digestion

• Starch from various sources differs in its rate of degradation in the rumen.
• Some starches, like those from maize, rice, cassava, and sweet potato, degrade faster, allowing for partial escape from rumen fermentation.
• This partial escape facilitates digestion in the lower digestive tract, leading to better nutrient utilization.

Urea-Molasses Mineral Blocks (UMMB)

• UMMBs are supplements that provide both RDP and UDP proteins, energy, and minerals.
• They enhance straw intake and digestibility, reducing the need for concentrates in medium-level milk production and growth.
• UMMBs are cost-effective and can contribute to improved animal health and productivity.

Benefits of Complete Feeding Systems

• Complete diets simplify feeding practices by providing all necessary nutrients in appropriate quantities.
• Self-feeding systems based on processed mixtures of all ingredients minimize labor and prevent selective feeding, ensuring balanced nutrition for animals.

Manufacturing Compound Feeds

• Compound feeds are manufactured using various processes such as grinding, mixing, steaming, pressing, and extruding.
• Pellets, a form of compound feed, offer advantages like increased feed intake and better nutrient utilization for animal growth and production.
• These processed feeds contribute to enhanced animal performance and overall productivity.