Macro Mayhem
This macronutrient is the primary source of energy in most diets and also provides heat and building blocks for other nutrients.
A: What are carbohydrates?
This fat-soluble vitamin comes from liver and fish oils; deficiency causes conjunctivitis, dry eye, and night blindness, especially in cats that can’t convert β-carotene.
A: Vitamin A (retinol).
These two macro-minerals work together to build bone; an imbalance can cause secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism (“big head disease”) in young horses. Name both minerals.
A: Calcium and phosphorus.
This term describes the energy needed only for basic life functions at rest (breathing, circulation, etc.), not including activity or growth.
A: Resting Energy Requirement (RER).
Name the four key nutritional stages used in the module that help organize diets by physiological state.
A: Maintenance, growth, reproduction, and production/performance.
A late-gestation ewe on a very low-energy ration develops hypoglycemia, ketone production, rumen stasis, and weakness. Name the nutrient problem and the classic disease.
A: What is carbohydrate deficiency causing pregnancy toxemia?
Soft bones, poor growth, and difficulty standing in young animals are hallmarks of deficiency of this vitamin involved in Ca and P absorption.
A: Vitamin D deficiency causing rickets.
Cattle grazing lush spring pasture with low magnesium develop muscle tremors, convulsions, and sudden death. Name the mineral deficiency and the classic disease.
A: Magnesium deficiency causing grass tetany.
Give the general formula used in small animals to calculate RER from body weight in kilograms.
A: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75.
In which life stage do animals have the highest overall nutrient and energy demand: late gestation, early lactation, or maintenance?
A: Early lactation.
Dogs fed a homemade very low-fat diet show a thin hair coat, dry skin, poor growth, and impaired immune function. Which macronutrient is deficient and what class of vitamins is secondarily affected?
A: Fat deficiency, which impairs absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
Weak offspring, sudden death, and skeletal muscle degeneration in lambs and foals are linked to deficiency of this vitamin–mineral combo important for antioxidants and muscle integrity.
A: Vitamin E and selenium deficiency → white muscle disease.
Indoor piglets on sow’s milk only become pale, weak, and poorly growing due to anemia. Which trace mineral is deficient and how is it routinely prevented?
A: Iron deficiency; prevent with iron injections in the first few days of life.
You have a 10 lb cat. Convert the weight to kilograms using the standard factor from the lecture.
A: 10 ÷ 2.2 ≈ 4.5 kg.
Colostrum must be ingested within this approximate time window after birth for optimal absorption of maternal antibodies.
A: Within the first 12–24 hours of life.
Overfeeding high-fat scraps to a dog leads to rapid fat breakdown, pancreatic inflammation, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydration. Name the nutrient excess and the resulting disease.
A: Fat excess leading to pancreatitis.
A dog that ingested rodenticide develops excessive bleeding and prolonged clotting times. Which vitamin is affected and what is its main role in hemostasis?
A: Vitamin K, required for synthesis of clotting factors.
A Husky with scaling around the eyes and mouth, crusting at pressure points, and alopecia is diagnosed with a dermatosis responsive to supplementation of this trace mineral. Name the mineral and the condition.
A: Zinc; zinc-responsive dermatosis.
This term describes the average daily energy requirement that includes resting needs plus activity, growth, reproduction, and environmental factors.
A: Maintenance Energy Requirement (MER).
Define “creep feeding” and name one benefit it provides to nursing livestock young (e.g., lambs, kids, calves).
A: Creep feeding = providing a special high-quality starter feed that only the young animals can access while still nursing; benefit: improved growth and rumen development / smoother weaning.
Limited access to clean water in hot weather causes hemoconcentration, electrolyte imbalance, dry feces, sunken eyes, and weight loss. Which nutrient is deficient and what are two key clinical consequences?
A: Water deficiency → dehydration and heat stress / kidney + GI issues.
Young, rapidly growing ruminants on high-concentrate diets can develop polioencephalomalacia with neurologic signs due to deficiency of this water-soluble vitamin. Name the vitamin and one classic risk factor.
A: Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency; risk factors include high-grain / high-concentrate diets or rumen upset.
Sheep on low-protein, low-copper forages develop anemia, poor growth, and neurologic signs called swayback. Name the deficient mineral and briefly state its role in red blood cell production.
A: Copper deficiency; copper is needed for normal iron metabolism and hemoglobin/RBC formation.
A canned food is 80% moisture and lists 8% protein on an as-fed basis. What is the approximate protein percentage on a dry-matter basis? (Show thinking in the game.)
A: Dry matter = 20%; 8 ÷ 20 = 0.4 → ~40% protein on a DM basis.
A lactating ewe with twins is underfed. Describe one likely effect on the dam and one on the offspring that make this a concern for long-term flock productivity.
A: Dam: excessive body-condition loss, poor health, delayed return to estrus. Offspring: poor growth, increased disease risk, lighter weaning weights, reducing future productivity.