Nutrition, Feeding and Animal Husbandry

Programme of the teaching unit 1: Animal Nutrition and Feeding. The chemical composition (water, minerals, organic matter, carbohydrates, lipids, nitrogenous compounds) and the related main chemical analyses of feeds will be described. Overview of the mineral and vitamin nutrition. The different factors affecting feed intake and digestibility will be examined. The role of fibre in animal nutrition and feeding and its dietetic and nutritive functions in ruminants and monogastrics will be carefully analysed. Energy and protein metabolism, the two pillars in animal nutrition, in ruminants and monogastrics will be thoroughly explained. Biological analyses of feeds for the determination of in vivo, in vitro (Tilley and Terry; Daisy) and in situ (nylon bags) digestibility, and the assessment of rumen fermentability (gas production) will be also described, in the view of showing to the students the importance of the interactions, beyond the chemical composition of the feed, between the feed itself and the digestive system. The main nutrient requirements of cattle (dairy and beef) and pigs, in the different stages of growth and physiological phases, will be summarized.In the second part of the course, the main feed (forages and concentrates) will be described. Particularly, among the forages (grass, hays, silages, stalks and straw) special reference will be made to those more frequently used: maize silage, Italian ryegrass, Lucerne, autumn-winter cereals. Among the concentrates a particular attention will be paid to the most important cereals, brans, protein meals of vegetable and animal origin, oilseeds, liquid feeds and different industrial by-products. Each feed will be considered for its main chemical and nutritional characteristics as well as the way of use.The last part of the course will focus on the feeding techniques, with practical examples of diets for dairy (calves, heifers, dry and lactating cows) and beef cattle (growing and fattening/finishing) and for pigs (piglet, growing, fattening/finishing, pregnant and lactating sow).
Main topics of the teaching unit 2: - Statistics and economics: animal production in Italy; livestock statistics; animal food production and consumption - Milk production: dairy cattle breeds; milk composition and properties; factors affecting milk yield and composition; lactation physiology; milking techniques; dairy herd management and feeding; reproduction and fertility; calf and heifer rearing. - Beef cattle production: beef cattle breeds; meat composition and structure; growth and development of meat animals; factors affecting meat production and quality; carcass evaluation; main beef cattle categories (veal calves, heifers, bulls); beef cattle management and feeding; cow-calf production systems - Swine production: swine breeds; sow reproduction; sow management and feeding; rearing replacement females; rearing and finishing techniques of light and heavy pigs.