This book explores the importance of good nutrition in ensuring an adequate standard of welfare for farm animals. It is often not realized that farm animals can suffer when they are fed unsuitable diets, which may be because these diets are more economic or the farmer does not know how to rectify poor nutrition. This book reveals how to recognize and deal with feeding problems in farm animals, when the animal’s behaviour is indicating a deficiency, through oral stereotypies for example. Feeding livestock in emergency situations can present special challenges, and the availability of clean and potable water, one of the essential components of life, can also be an unrecognized problem for many farm animals. Feeding farm animals effectively is rarely recognized for the major welfare issue that it is. We may assume that animals in intensive husbandry conditions have adequate feed, yet it is often too concentrated and designed primarily to immediately maximize production from the animals, in the form of growth, milk yield or reproduction. In extensive rangeland conditions adequate feed supply also cannot be assured, potentially leading to undernutrition with serious consequences for the health and even survival of livestock. This book will provide a much-needed review of the relationships between nutrition and the welfare of farm animals.

This book presents specially commissioned reviews of key topics in farm animal metabolism and nutrition, such as repartitioning agents, near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and digestibility and metabolisable energy assays, where major advances have recently been made or which continue to represent issues of significance for students and researchers. Authors include leading researchers from Europe, North America and Australia.

Mineral Nutrition of Animals reviews the research on the mineral nutrition of animals. This book explores the biological function and metabolism of minerals in the body, as well as mineral feeding of various species of farm animals. Topics range from water metabolism and mineral composition of feeds to the physiological role of macroelements such as calcium and potassium and microelements such as iron and copper. This text is comprised of 16 chapters; the first of which provides a historical overview of the science of mineral feeding of animals; mineral elements and their function in animal nutrition; and mineral feeding of animals under industrial conditions. The chapters that follow present general information on minerals, describe the link between biogeochemical regions and biochemical ecology, and analyze the factors affecting the mineral composition of animals' bodies. The reader is also introduced to water metabolism and the water requirements of animals; the metabolism of minerals absorbed into the digestive tract; and the kinetics of mineral metabolism in the blood, organs, and tissues. The next section is devoted to mineral feeding of various species of farm animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry. This text concludes by looking at methods of controlling the adequacy of farm animals' mineral diet. This book will be of interest to students and practitioners in agriculture and food science.

"This fully updated new edition provides a comprehensive guide to enzyme-supplemented animal feeds. It explores using enzymes in fish and shrimp diets, new understanding of how phytases function, and NSPase research. It also includes new chapters on enzyme combinations, antibiotic free diets and measuring response in feed trials"--

Nutrition is the key driver of animal health, welfare and production. In agriculture, nutrition is crucial to meet increasing global demands for animal protein and consumer demands for cheaper meat, milk and eggs and higher standards of animal welfare. For companion animals, good nutrition is essential for quality and length of life. Animal Nutrition examines the science behind the nutrition and feeding of the major domesticated animal species: sheep, beef cattle, dairy cattle, deer, goats, pigs, poultry, camelids, horses, dogs and cats. It includes introductory chapters on digestion and feeding standards, followed by chapters on each animal, containing information on digestive anatomy and physiology, evidence-based nutrition and feeding requirements, and common nutritional and metabolic diseases. Clear diagrams, tables and breakout boxes make this text readily understandable and it will be of value to tertiary students and to practising veterinarians, livestock consultants, producers and nutritionists.