Basic Nutrition
The process by which animals take in and utilize food for growth, maintenance, reproduction, and production
Nutrition
The groups of organs that break down food so the body can absorb nutrients
Digestive System
High-fiber plant material such as grass, hay, and silage
Forage
Inorganic nutrients needed in small amounts for bone growth, nerve function, and other processes (e.g., calcium, phosphorus)
Minerals
An animal that eats only plants (e.g., cattle, sheep)
Herbivore
A chemical substance in food that provides energy or helpful build, maintain, or repair the body
Nutrient
The process of breaking down feed into smaller parts so the body can absorb nutrients
Digestion
Feeds high in carbohydrates and fats that provide energy (e.g., corn, barley)
Energy Feeds
Organic nutrients needed in small amounts for normal growth, reproduction, and health (e.g., vitamin A, D, E)
Vitamins
An animal that mainly eats meat (e.g., cats, dogs)
Carnivore
The total amount of feed an animal consumes in a 24 hour period
Ration
The movement of nutrient from the digestive system into the blood or the lymph
Absorption
Feeds high in protein, necessary for muscle development and repair (e.g., soybean meal, cottonseed meal)
Protein Feeds
The most essential nutrient, necessary for digestion, temperature regulation and bodily function
Water
An animal that eats both plants and animals (e.g., pigs, humans)
Omnivore
A ration that provides all the nutrients and animal needs in the correct amounts and proportions
Balanced Ration
The sum of all physical and chemical processes in the body that converts food into energy and food tissues
Metabolism
Low-fiber, high-energy feed such as grains
Concentrate
Nutrients that provide quick energy, mainly from plants (e.g., sugars, starches, fiber)
Carbohydrates
An animal with a simple stomach (e.g., pigs, horses, chickens)
Non-Ruminant (Monogastric)
Any material used as food for animals
Feedstuff
A measure of how efficiently an animal converts feed into body weight or product (meat, eggs, milk)
Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)
A feed used with another to improve the overall diet by providing additional nutrients
Supplement
Nutrients that provide concentrated energy and aid in vitamin absorption
Fats (Lipids)
An animal with a four-compartment stomach that can digest roughages (e.g., cattle, goats, sheep)
Ruminant