Download ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 1. When an animal eats, the food passes

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
1. When an animal eats, the food passes along the digestive tract. This is the tube
which runs from the mouth to the anus. Into this tube digestive juices or enzymes are
secreted. These enzymes break down the food into a form which the animal can digest,
or absorb into its body through the bloodstream and use. The undigested part is
rejected in the form of excrement. For example, food protein is broken down into amino
acids which are the building blocks of the body protein. They are absorbed into the
body and used to build new proteins in the animal such as muscle and milk.
2. Different types of farm animals have different digestive tracts. Cattle, for example,
have highly developed stomach systems, made up of four parts (Fig. 1).
3. When a cow eats grass, it does not chew it, but swallows it at once. The grass
passes down the oesophagus to the first stomach or rumen, where it is stored. When
the cow has filled its first stomach, it often lies down and goes on moving its jaws. It is
ruminating. The cow brings up some of the grass from its first stomach for a second
chewing. Then the cow swallows it again. This time the food goes into the second
stomach or reticulum, where the nutrients in the food are released. From here, the food
passes through the omasum into the fourth stomach or abomasum. The digestive
juices in abomasum kill the organisms in the food and make the food available for
digestion.
4. Digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestine. The
undigested part is rejected through the anus as excrement.
5. Cows, goats, sheep and camels are ruminants, because their digestive systems are
made to digest and transform roughages. These are fibrous materials such as hay,
grass and straw.
6. Non-ruminants such as pigs and poultry have a single stomach with acid digestive
juices (Fig. 2).
7. Poultry have a crop which stores food before it enters the digestive tract. The gizzard
is a muscular organ which grinds up the food in order to make digestion easier (Fig. 3).
8. Because of different digestive systems animals are fed different feedingstuffs.
Ruminants are fed mainly roughages. Non-ruminants are fed higher quality proteins
such as barley and maize, possibly fish and bone-meal.
FEEDINGSTUFFS
Feedingstuffs used on farms can be divided into two main groups: bulk foods and
concentrates. Bulk foods contain a limited amount of nutrients in a given weight of food.
Concentrates are richer in nutrients. The bulkfoods satisfy the animal's appetite.
Concentrates are given to ensure the sufficient quantity of nutrients.
Bulk foods consist of coarse fodders such as hays and straws, and succulent foods
such as roots, green fodders (kales and grass) and silage. The former are low in
protein and minerals, the latter have a high moisture content which makes them
palatable.
Concentrates can be sub-divided into foods rich in carbohydrates such as oats, barley,
wheat etc.; protein rich foods of vegetable origin such as oil cakes and meals of
linseed, groundnuts and soya beans; protein rich foods of animal origin including fish
meals or meat meals; and home-grown foods rich in protein including leguminous crops
such as peas and beans.
Balance is very important in animal feeding. The animal must receive an appropriate
quantity of starch or protein. Minerals and vitamins must also be balanced to keep the
animal healthy and productive. An incorrect balance in nutrients can lead to diseases
and infertility in cattle.
EXERCISES
I. Mark the following sentences T(rue) or F(alse):
1. Digestive juices are secreted into the digestive tract. ___
2. Excrements are the digested part of the food. ___
3. The stomach of cattle consists of four parts. ___
4. Digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place in the stomach. ___
5. Non-ruminants can be fed bulkfoods. ___
6. Bulk foods contain a small amount of nutrients. ___
7. Concentrates contain either a lot of carbohydrates or a lot of proteins. ___
8. An animal must receive a correct balance of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals
and vitamins. ___
II. Complete the summary of the text Animal Husbandry:
Paragraph 1
The digestive tract is a ____________ running from the mouth to the anus.
___________ juices are secreted into it. They break down the food into a form which
the animal can __________. The animal rejects the part of the food which remains
undigested in the form of _____________.
Paragraphs 2,3
The cattle’s stomach is made up of four parts: ______________, ______________,
_______________ and ______________. The grass first comes into the rumen and is
___________ there. Then the cow starts ruminating, i.e. bringing up the food from the
rumen and chewing it with its teeth. The food then goes into the reticulum where the
_____________ are released. Then it passes through the omasum into ____________
where the digestive juices are active.
Paragraphs 5,6
Ruminants are: cows, __________, _____________ and ____________. They can eat
____________ foods. Non-ruminants are pigs and ____________. They have a
____________ stomach.
Paragraph 8
While ruminants can be fed ______________, non-ruminants require feedingstuffs with
a lot of ____________.
III. Match the sentences from the text Feedingstuffs:
1. Feedingstuffs can be divided into
___ a lot of nutrients.
2. Bulk foods contain only
___ are rich in carbohydrates.
3. Concentrates have
___ bulk foods and concentrates.
4. Hays and straws are
___ balanced food.
5. Oats, barley and wheat
___ coarse fodders.
6. The animal must receive
___ are a result of unbalanced food.
7. Diseases and infertility
___ a small amount of nutrients.