Learning objectives
Acquire knowledge, understanding and skills related to the chemical and nutritional characteristics of feeds and the formulation of diets for animals.
Acquire skills to apply knowledge and understanding in the evaluation and formulation of diets for animals with particular reference to pigs and buffaloes in the different phases of their production cycle
Acquire communicative skills that will enable to deal clearly and with the appropriate terms the topics that will be submitted.
To acquire a learning ability that will enable a multidisciplinary approach to topics that will be submitted
Prerequisites
Having passed all the preparatory test stated in the Teaching Regulation
Course unit content
The first part of the course is aimed at understanding of the definition of nutrition science, at the presentation of the methodologies for the chemical and nutritional characterisation of feeds, at the study of the individual nutrients and of the differences in the chemical composition of the raw materials that are employed in the formulation of animal diets, including additives.
In the second part are presented topics relating to the feed technology, with particular reference to the technological treatments performed to improve the nutritional value of feeds.
In the third part are shown the techniques for the diet and complete or complementary feedstuff formulation, as well as the nutritional requirements and rationing of swine and buffaloes.
Full programme
FEEDS’ COMPONENTS
1. The animal and its food
a. Water
b. Dry matter and its components
c. Feed characterization
2. Carbohydrates
a. Classification
b. Monososccharides
c. Oligosaccharides
d. Polisaccharides
e. Lignin
f. Analytical aspects
3. Lipids
a. Classification
b. Fats
c. Glycolipids
d. Phospholipids
e. Waxes
f. Steroids
g. Terpens
h. Analytical aspects
4. Protein and nitrogenous compounds
a. Proteins
b. Amino Acids
c. Peptides
d. Structure and proprerties of protein
e. Classification of proteins
f. Analytical aspects
5. Vitamins
a. Fat-soluble vitamins
b. Water-soluble vitamins
6. Minerals
a. Function of minerals
b. Acid-base balance
c. Major elements
d. Trace minerals
7. Main antinutritional compounds
THE DIGESTION AND METABOLISM OF NUTRIENTS
8. Nutrient digestion and metabolism
a. Feed intake
b. Digestion in monogastric
c. Microbial digestion in ruminants and other herbivores
d. Energy metabolism
e. Protein synthesis
f. Fat synthesis
g. Carbohydrate synthesis
EVALUATION OF FEEDS
9. Digestibility
a. Measurements of digestibility
b. Digestibility in different sections of the digestive tract
c. Factors affecting digestibility
10. Energy content of food and partitioning within the animal
a. Energy requirements and supply
b. Animal calorimetry
c. Metabolizable energy
d. Energy systems and models for different species
11. Protein
a. Crude protein
b. Digestible crude protein
c. Measures of protein quality for monogastric and ruminant animals
ANIMAL FEEDS
12. Cereal grains and by-products
13. Protein and oil concentrates
14. Additives
BASICS OF FEEDSTUFF PRODUCTION
15. Industrial treatments. General effects.
16. Grinding. Mixing. Pelleting. Flaking.
17. Extrusion and other treatments
18. Legal issues in the feedstuff area: definitions
19. Feed labelling. Official sampling.
20. Swine nutrition and feeding
a. Nutrient requirements for maintenance
b. Nutrient requirements for growth
c. Plane of nutrition for better reproductive performance
d. Nutrient requirements for lactating sows
21. Buffaloes nutrition and feeding
a. Nutrient requirements for maintenance
b. Nutrient requirements for growth
c. Plane of nutrition for better productive and reproductive performance
d. Nutrient requirements for lactating buffaloes
Bibliography
P. McDonald; R.A. Edwards; J.F.D. Greenhalgh; C.A. Morgan; L.A. Sinclair; R.G. Wilkinson. Animal Nutrition, seventh edition, 2011. Pearson education limited.
- Cevolani D. (2004) -Prontuario degli alimenti per il suino. Edagricole, Bologna.
- Piccioni M. (1989) - Dizionario degli alimenti per il bestiame. Edagricole, Bologna
- McDonald P., Edwards R.A., Greenhlgh J.F.D. (1992) - Nutrizione animale. Ed. Tecniche Nuove, Milano
- ANTONGIOVANNI M. Nutrizione degli animali in produzione zootecnica, Edagricole, Bologna, 2004.
Per approfondimenti e studenti stranieri
- Basic Animal Nutrition and Feeding, 5th Edition, Wilson G. Pond, David B. Church et al., WileyCDA, December 2004
- Moughan P.J., Verstegen M.W.A., Visser-Reyneveld M.I. 2000. Feed evaluation: principles and practice. Wageningen Pers, NL.
- National Research Council (2012) Nutrient Requirement of Swine. National Academic Science. Washington D.C.
- Verstegen M.V.A., Moughan P.J., Schrama J.W. (1998) - The lactating sow. Wageningen Pers, Wageningen Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.
- Pluske J.R., Le Dividich J., Verstegen M.W.A. (2003) - Weaning the pig. Wageningen Pers, Wageninge
- S.P. Rose S.P. (1997). Principles of Poultry Science. CAB International, New York.
Teaching methods
During the lectures the student will learn and understand the differences of the nutritional value of feeds, the different nutritional requirements of pigs and poultry in relation to the production cycle and how to formulate a diet.
During laboratory exercises students can accomplish independently and practical solutions to solve the problems faced during the lectures
Assessment methods and criteria
The student will be assessed through an oral interview that will take place in 3 successive phases, each characterised by the request to answer a complex question; for the evaluation of the answer to each question, a scoring system from 1 to 10 will be applied. The sum of the votes deriving from the answers to the 3 questions will constitute the final vote. The evaluation related to each question the following criteria will be applied:
1) 0-2: the student demonstrates that he does not know or know in an extremely fragmented and mnemonic way the subject addressed and knows the technical language inadequately.
2) 3-5: the student demonstrates to know in a fragmentary and mnemonic way the subject addressed and uses a poor technical language
3) 6-7: the student demonstrates to know in an organic, albeit superficial, way the subject covered, and is able to sketch reasoning about assimilated contents, demontratic a basic technical languag knowledge
4) 8-9: the student demonstrates to know in an organic way, and in a relatively deep level, the topic dealt with, and is able to make arguments about assimilated contents and use an appropriate technical language
5) 10: the student demonstrates a deep knowledge of the subject dealt with, and is able to carry out articulated reasoning regarding assimilated contents with a high command of technical language
With regard to students with specific learning problems, the dispensing measures and compensatory tools are applied, eg oral tests, use of PCs with spell checker and speech synthesis, but above, an estimated time up to a maximum of 30% will be granted. As an alternative, a quantitative reduction will be provided. In any case, the evaluation logic carried out, in these circumstances, will evaluate the contents rather than the form.
Other information
The slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded before the beginning of the course on the Elly platform.
To download the slides, you need to enroll in the online course.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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