Nutrients

Nutrients: Their
Functions and Sources

Nutrients are chemical substances that are the
building blocks of food or feed. When taken in
support life.
Classification of Nutrients
Six major nutrients are of great importance in animal nutrition. These
are;
1. Water at birth, the water content of the body accounts for about 75 –
80 percent of the body weight. When the animal matures, water
content is about 50 percent of the body weight. Loss of body fluid up
to 10 percent of the body weight will result in dehydration and death.
Hence regular supply of clean water must be provided to the animals.
Function of water in the body:

1. Regulates body temperature
2. Transport metabolic products throughout the body
3. Transport and eliminates waste product
4. Lubricates joints and cushions the nervous system and
5. Helps in the formation of milk and new tissues during
growth , pregnancy and other physiological activities of the
body.
2. Carbohydrates these are classified into simple sugars (mostly found
in the cell contents and starchy feeds such as grains and tubers or
root crops) and fibrous forms (cell wall components, composed
mostly of cellulose, hemi-cellulose and indigestible lignin).
Carbohydrates are the major source of energy for production and
reproduction process of the animals.
3. Proteins are organic substances compose of 51- 55% Carbon; 6.5 –

7.3% Hydrogen; 15 – 18 % Nitrogen; 21 – 23% Oxygen; 0.5 – 2%
sulfur and up to 1.5% Phosphorus. Proteins are classified into
soluble, degradable and undegradable forms. When hydrolyzed,
these yield amino acids. The soluble proteins are the principal
source of nitrogen for microbial protein production. Likewise,
degradable proteins can be broke down into peptides and amino
acids for use in microbial growth and production. These can be
degraded rapidly, intermediately or slowly to provide constant
supply of nitrogen both for microorganisms and the animal.
Undegraded or by-pass proteins are digested by means of chemical
or enzymatic digestion in the abomasums or small intestine.
Proteins are sources of amino acids that are the basic
structural components of body tissues and are involved in
synthesis of hormones and enzymes. It has a major role in
body maintenance, growth, reproduction and milk production
of the animals.
4. Fats these are more concentrated form of energy because
they contain 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates and
proteins. These are insoluble in water but are soluble in
either or similar organic compounds. Triglycerides are
composed of glycerol and fatty acids that are important in
animal nutrition. The inclusion of fats in the ration should be
regulated because it has a negative effect on fiber digestion.
5. Minerals are essential constituents of bones, teeth and
organic compounds like proteins, fats, and vitamins. Minerals
are classified as macro and micro minerals. Minerals act as
regulators during body metabolism and are vital component
of milk. Some minerals are in association with proteins such
as sulfur and iron and with vitamins such as cobalt. (Vitamin
B12), calcium (Vitamin D) and selenium (Vitamin E).
Nutrient Requirements
The nutrients required by buffaloes and beef cattle are
determined by its physiological stages in life. Usually, the
nutrients are based on the body maintenance, growth,
production (lactation) and reproduction.
1. Maintenance: Maintenance requirement involves all body

processes to keep the animal alive and healthy. The animal
is in its equilibrium state if it does not loss or gain weight,
not work, not pregnant, or not producing any product.
In body maintenance, the animal ration should have an
energy that is equivalent to support the basal metabolism,
maintenance of body temperature and normal activity to
obtain food and water. The amount of protein in the ration
should provide only the requirement for the repair of body
tissues while minerals needed are enough to replenish the
lost ones. The vitamin requirements for maintenance are
supplied for normal metabolic activities.
2. Growth is generally measured in terms of the amount of weight
gained and is divided into two stages: growing and finishing or
fattening. In the growing stage, a rapid increase in muscle,
bone , organs and other tissues is observed. During the
finishing stage, deposition of fat tissues is attained. The first
stage of growth is more expected to be vertical growth while
second stage is more of horizontal development.
During the growth stage, the animal should be provided with
ration containing high amount of protein but less of energy.
Minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus are needed for
bone formation. Vitamins are required to support the normal
metabolic processes related to nutrient utilization for the growth
of muscles, bones, organ and connective tissues.
The finishing stage, the energy content of the ration should be
higher than that of protein. The excess amount of energy is
metabolized and is deposited in the form of body fat. Fattening
make the meat juicy and tasty because of fat deposition in
between muscles causing good marbling.
3. Reproduction raising animals under high plane of nutrition
during early life have important effect when they reach
puberty or breeding age. In contrast, animals exposed to
nutrient deficiencies particularly before breeding may
experience infertility and failure to establish or maintain
pregnancy.
Energy needs are more critical during the last trimester of
pregnancy stage while protein is more critical for fetal
development in the last stage of gestation.
Similarly, the requirement for minerals such as calcium and

phosphorus increase with the stages of pregnancy. Vitamin A
is also very important for increases with the breeding
efficiency of both male and female animals.
4. Lactation high milk production in a buffalo and dairy cows is
always associated with good nutrition. The quantity of
nutrients excreted from the milk should be replenish and
proportioned to the amount of milk produced for the cows so
that do not utilize their body nutrient reserves. Energy,
proteins, minerals and vitamins if provided in adequate
amount enable the cows to maintain their normal body
condition score and produce more milk throughout the 300-
305 days lactation period.
Classification of Feed Sources
1. Forages – These are fibrous materials of plant origin which are

converted into body elements (meat and milk) when fed to
animals.
a) Grasses - These are feed sources which have high energy but
low in protein contents.
Examples: Napier, paragrass, guinea grass, signal grass, cogon,

Alabang X, Humidicola, forage corn, sorghum, etc.
b) Legumes – These are pod-bearing crops with high protein but of

less energy content.
Examples: Centrosema, Calopogonium, Siratro, Manimanihan,

stylo, Kadios, Desmanthus, Flemiñgia, Rensonii, Kakawate,
Katuray, Ipil-ipil, all kinds of Beans, etc.
2. Concentrates – These are feed materials in mash or pellet
form. It is a feed supplement containing higher energy and
proteins.
a) Energy sources
Examples: Corn grits, sorghum, rice bran, palay, copra
meal, wheat, cassava meal, etc.
b) Protein sources
Examples: Soybean meal, fish meal, copra meal, dried spent
grain, meat and bone meal, urea, etc.
c) Mineral sources
Examples: Bone meal, dicalcium phophate, megaphos, lime,
oyster shell meal, etc.
3. Farm and Industrial By-products
Examples: Corn stover, rice straw, sugar cane tops, peanut

straw, banana peelings, sweet potato vines, cassava leaves,
pineapple peeling, citrus pulp, spent grain, molasses,
fermented mother liquor, etc.
4. Fodder Tree Leaves
Examples: Gliricidia, Kakawate, Sesbania, Acacia, etc.

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Nutrients: Their

Functions and Sources

Function of water in the body:

3. Proteins are organic substances compose of 51- 55% Carbon; 6.5 –

1. Maintenance: Maintenance requirement involves all body

Similarly, the requirement for minerals such as calcium and

1. Forages – These are fibrous materials of plant origin which are

Examples: Napier, paragrass, guinea grass, signal grass, cogon,

b) Legumes – These are pod-bearing crops with high protein but of

Examples: Centrosema, Calopogonium, Siratro, Manimanihan,

Examples: Corn stover, rice straw, sugar cane tops, peanut

4. Fodder Tree Leaves

Examples: Gliricidia, Kakawate, Sesbania, Acacia, etc.

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