Animal Nutrition, Nutritional Evaluation of Feed and Feed Technology
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide the student principles of animal nutrition, chemical and nutritional evaluation of animal feeds and industrial feed technology in order to allow students to manage, during the third year, nutritional plans of food producing animals in extensive and intensive systems. This approach will allow students to understand the role of animal nutrition in improving animal efficiency and health, food quality, and reducing environmental impact. In this respect, the course provides insight into comparative study of the animal gastrointestinal tract and its relationship with nutrition, dietary management, digestion and nutrient utilization; effects of nutrition over the digestive tract among species; nutritional requirements among the different species; fundamental knowledge on animal feeds and their chemical and nutritional evaluation; feed mix and premixes plants; feed mixes and premixes software formulation.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: the student, at the end of the course, will have to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of animal nutrition, chemical and nutritional evaluation of animal feeds and feed technology.
Applying knowledge and understanding: the student will have to demonstrate ability to apply knowledge of animal nutrition, animal feed nutritional evaluation and feed technology to simple simulated cases. Critical Thinking and Judgment: the student will have to demonstrate the ability to critically present the information acquired, by means of discussions in class and specific seminars.
Ability to Communicate What Has Been Learned: the student is expected to use scientifically appropriate language, in particular terminology referring to animal nutrition, animal feed nutritional evaluation and feed technology. The practical activities and seminars are intended to stimulate the ability to use specific terminology and the ability to discuss scientifically with peers.
Lifelong learning skills: the student must gain the ability to use acquired knowledge to interpret new scenarios, for instance searching scientific databases and critically organising new information.
Applying knowledge and understanding: the student will have to demonstrate ability to apply knowledge of animal nutrition, animal feed nutritional evaluation and feed technology to simple simulated cases. Critical Thinking and Judgment: the student will have to demonstrate the ability to critically present the information acquired, by means of discussions in class and specific seminars.
Ability to Communicate What Has Been Learned: the student is expected to use scientifically appropriate language, in particular terminology referring to animal nutrition, animal feed nutritional evaluation and feed technology. The practical activities and seminars are intended to stimulate the ability to use specific terminology and the ability to discuss scientifically with peers.
Lifelong learning skills: the student must gain the ability to use acquired knowledge to interpret new scenarios, for instance searching scientific databases and critically organising new information.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Animal Nutrition
General aspects of nutrition (2 hrs)
Water and energy (2 hrs)
Carbohydrates and lipids (2 hrs)
Proteins (2 hrs)
Minerals and vitamins (2 hrs)
Ruminant nutrition (2 hrs)
Swine nutrition (2 hrs)
Avian species nutrition (2 hrs)
Nutritional evaluation of feed
Animal feeds: general aspects, the concept of nutritive value, classification (2 hrs)
Animal feeds: sampling procedures and storage. Chemical composition and physical characterization (2hrs)
Nutritional feeds evaluation: antinutritional factors (2 hrs)
Nutritional feeds evaluation: mycotoxins (2 hrs)
Forages: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of grass and hays (2 hrs)
Forages: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of silages (2 hrs)
Energy feeds: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics (3 hrs)
Protein feeds: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics (4 hrs)
Fibrous feeds: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics (2 hrs)
Nutritional feeds evaluation: principles of chemical analysis, NIRS, and feed recognition (3 hrs)
Feed technology
General aspects of feed technology (2 hrs)
Feed technology: equipments (2 hrs)
Feed tecnology: compound feed formulation (4 hrs)
Practice:
Compound feed formulation using Plurimix software (16 hrs)
General aspects of nutrition (2 hrs)
Water and energy (2 hrs)
Carbohydrates and lipids (2 hrs)
Proteins (2 hrs)
Minerals and vitamins (2 hrs)
Ruminant nutrition (2 hrs)
Swine nutrition (2 hrs)
Avian species nutrition (2 hrs)
Nutritional evaluation of feed
Animal feeds: general aspects, the concept of nutritive value, classification (2 hrs)
Animal feeds: sampling procedures and storage. Chemical composition and physical characterization (2hrs)
Nutritional feeds evaluation: antinutritional factors (2 hrs)
Nutritional feeds evaluation: mycotoxins (2 hrs)
Forages: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of grass and hays (2 hrs)
Forages: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics of silages (2 hrs)
Energy feeds: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics (3 hrs)
Protein feeds: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics (4 hrs)
Fibrous feeds: chemical composition and nutritional characteristics (2 hrs)
Nutritional feeds evaluation: principles of chemical analysis, NIRS, and feed recognition (3 hrs)
Feed technology
General aspects of feed technology (2 hrs)
Feed technology: equipments (2 hrs)
Feed tecnology: compound feed formulation (4 hrs)
Practice:
Compound feed formulation using Plurimix software (16 hrs)
Prerequisites for admission
Biochemistry exam is preparatory for the Animal nutrition, nutritional evaluation of feed and feed technology exam
Teaching methods
Lectures (48 hours) and practical activities (16 hours) . The course is based on classroom lectures, classroom training sessions (in teams) with case-study-based discussions and practice on farms. Lectures will be presented with the support of Power Point slides.
Teaching Resources
Lecture notes on each topic will be provided online (in PDF format) on ARIEL.
Scientific papers and relevant documents will also be uploaded on ARIEL textbooks
Other relevant readings:
Ronchi, Savoini, Trabalza Marinucci (2020). Manuale di Nutrizione dei Ruminanti da Latte. EDISES ed.
Cevolani (2021) Alimenti per la vacca da latte e il bovino da carne . Edagricole
Cevolani (2020) Prontuario degli alimenti per il suino. Edagricole
Scientific papers and relevant documents will also be uploaded on ARIEL textbooks
Other relevant readings:
Ronchi, Savoini, Trabalza Marinucci (2020). Manuale di Nutrizione dei Ruminanti da Latte. EDISES ed.
Cevolani (2021) Alimenti per la vacca da latte e il bovino da carne . Edagricole
Cevolani (2020) Prontuario degli alimenti per il suino. Edagricole
Assessment methods and Criteria
The methods and criteria for assessing the student's performance are made available by the professors at the beginning of the didactic activities. The exam consists of an oral test (on the part of the programme relative to animal nutrition and feed technology) and a written test (with three open-ended questions) on the part of programme relative to nutritional evaluation of feeds. The time given for the written test is 30 minutes. The score is expressed in thirtieths. The assessments are designed to test students' retention of core knowledge and measure their ability to apply this in different contexts. The final results of the exams (average score between the oral and written test) will be available on Ariel.
AGR/18 - ANIMAL NUTRITION AND FEEDING - University credits: 7
Exercises: 16 hours
Lessons: 48 hours
Lessons: 48 hours
Professors:
Cattaneo Donata Maria Iolanda Renata, Savoini Giovanni
Shifts:
Professors:
Cattaneo Donata Maria Iolanda Renata, Savoini Giovanni
1 turno da 16 ore per gruppi di studenti
Professor:
Savoini Giovanni2 turno da 16 ore per gruppi di studenti
Professor:
Savoini GiovanniProfessor(s)