Animal Nutrition (BALANCED RATION / DIET)

Subject:

Agricultural Science

Class:

SS 3

Term:

First Term / 1st Term

Week:

Week 2

Topic:

Animal ration / Balanced diet 

Previous Knowledge: The pupils have previous knowledge of

  ANIMAL NUTRITION (MALNUTRITION)

that was taught in their previous lesson.

Behavioural  Objectives : At the end of the lesson, learners will be able to

• Say what is balanced ration
• Explain what is nutritional value of balanced ration in animals health and growth .
• Highlight the categories of balanced ration

Instructional Materials 

• Wall charts
• Online Resource
• Textbooks
• Laptop
• Crop samples
• Pictures that are related to the subject matter
• Flash cards
• www.edudelighttutors.com

Methods of Teaching 

• Role modelling
• Questions and Answers
• Explanation
• Discussion
• Recitation
• Imitation
• Story Telling
• Dramatization

WEEK TWO 

ANIMAL RATION/DIET

A ration is defined as the feed that is regularly offered to or consumed by the animal. Diets are formulated to meet specific metabolic or physiological functions which include growth, lactation, reproduction, maintenance of pregnancy, egg laying, weaning, fattening etc

BALANCED RATION

A balanced ration is the feed containing all the essential nutrients in the right or correct and adequate proportion for feeding animals. It is a ration that contains all the classes of food in the right quantity and proportion. Components or compositions of a balanced ration include carbohydrate,protein,fats and oil, minerals, vitamins and water.In balancing ration, the nutrients values of the feeding stuffs are known. The nutrient requirement or the standards are also known.

IMBALANCED RATION

An imbalanced ration is the feed that does not contain all essential nutrients in the correct and adequate proportion for feeding livestock.

There are two categories of balanced ration.

1. Maintenance ration: This is the type of ration that supplies the animal with just the quantity of nutrients that are enough to enable the animal carry on with vital body activities without losing or gaining another substance. In other word, a maintenance ration is the amount of feed needed to prevent an increase or decrease in the weight of the animal. The ration will just be enough to maintain the supplies of energy and protein for all metabolic activities such as respiration, blood circulation, digestion, locomotion, maintenance of body temperature.
2. Production ration: is the quantity of ration that can supply the requirement nutrients above the maintenance to enable the animal produce the form of animal product for which the livestock is kept. The production ration can be for meat, growth,milk wool and egg production. The food is supplied in excess of maintenance requirements.

Categories of farm animals that requires production ratio include:

1. Lactating animals for milk production.
2. Weaning animals for increase growth.
3. Pregnant animals for maintenance of the foetus.
4. Fattening or finishing animals for extra meat or flesh.
5. Broilers for rapid growth.
6. Layers for egg production.
7. Steaming up or flushing for animal before making to produce more ova.

Factors to consider when deciding type of ration to feed an animal include :

1. age of the animal
2. palatability of feed stuff
3. familiarity of feed to animal
4. cost of feed
5. physiological status of the animal
6. availability of feed stuff
7. composition of feed nutrient

Presentation : 

The topic is presented step by step

Step 1: The class teacher revises the old topic

Step 2: The class teacher introduces the new topic

Step 3: The class teacher allows the pupils to give their own contributions and gives room for pupils” participation

Class Teacher and Pupils Activities. Interaction or Participation 

This involves class teacher and pupils’ interaction, conversation, imitation or modeling through discussion, play method or just by recitation or asking and answering questions that are related to the topic that has just been taught.

EVALUATION 

1. What is ration?
2. What is balanced ration?
3. Name four classes of livestock feed and list two characteristics of each class.
4. Distinguish between maintenance ration and production ration (WASSCE 1998 question 8)
5. a. state five functions of water in livestock management
   b. list five essential minerals elements required in animal nutrition
   c. state four function of mineral elements in the body of farm animals
   (WASSCE 1993 question 7)
6. In a tabular form, state:
   a. four food nutrient in livestock production.
   b. two sources of each food nutrient stated in a above.
   c. two functions of each nutrient stated in a above.
   (WASSCE 1995 question 7)
7. a. define balanced ration in livestock production.
   b. outline the stages involved in the preparation of
   i. bone meal ii. Fish meal iii. Cotton seed meal iv. Blood meal
   (WASSCE 1996 question 8)
8. a. state six functions of protein in the body of farm animals
   b. list five animal source and plant source protein each that can be fed to livestock.
   (WASSCE 1999 question 8)

Conclusion : 

The class teacher concludes the lesson by giving the pupils some notes on the topic that has just been taught. He goes round to mark and he does the necessary corrections.