Small Animal and Exotic Nutrition

1. Small Animal and Exotic Nutrition

2. Nutritional Terminology • Nutrition • Process of animals receiving a proper and balanced food and water ration so it can: • Grow • Maintain • Reproduce • Perform

3. Nutritional Terminology • Nutrient • Substance or part of feedstuff that is necessary for an organism to live and grow • Also known as a single group of foods of the same general chemical composition

4. 6 Basic Nutrients • Water • Proteins • Carbohydrates • Fats and Oils • Vitamins • Minerals

5. 6 Basic Nutrients • Water • Most important nutrient • Makes up 55-65% of the animal’s body

6. 6 Basic Nutrients • Water • Functions: • Dissolves and transports nutrients • Aids in digestion • Carries waste from the body • Regulates body temperature • Supports respiration

7. 6 Basic Nutrients • Water • Deficiency Symptoms: • Slow growth • Overheating • Decreased body functions

8. 6 Basic Nutrients • Proteins • Complex nutrients composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen • Animal • Plant

9. 6 Basic Nutrients • Proteins • Functions: • Develop and repair body organs and tissues • Muscles, nerves, skin, hair/fur and feathers • Reproduction • Fetal development • DNA Transmission

10. 6 Basic Nutrients • Proteins • Deficiency Symptoms: • Slow growth • Decreased organ and tissue repair • Anorexia • Anemia • Low birth weight • Low milk production

11. 6 Basic Nutrients • Carbohydrates • Complex nutrients made up of chemical elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen • Sugars • Starches • Fiber

12. 6 Basic Nutrients • Carbohydrates • Functions: • Covert into energy • Support body functions • Store fat • Produce heat

13. 6 Basic Nutrients • Carbohydrates • Deficiency Symptoms: • Slow growth • Lack of energy • Decreased body functions • Loss of body heat

14. 6 Basic Nutrients • Fats and Oils • Contain the same chemical elements of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen as carbohydrates but in different combinations

15. 6 Basic Nutrients • Fats and Oils • Functions: • Provide energy • 2.25 times more energy than equal amounts of carbs and proteins • Transports fat-soluble vitamins • Provides essential fatty acids

16. 6 Basic Nutrients • Fats and Oils • Deficiency Symptoms: • Slow growth • Lack of energy • Decreased absorption of fat-soluble vitamins

17. 6 Basic Nutrients • Vitamins • Organic substances designated by the letters: • A, B, C, D, E and K • Needed in very small amounts

18. 6 Basic Nutrients • Vitamins • Functions: • Maintain body biochemical reactions • Regulate: • Digestion • Absorption • Metabolism

19. 6 Basic Nutrients • Vitamins • Deficiency Symptoms: • Slow growth • Decreased body functions

20. 6 Basic Nutrients • Minerals • Inorganic substances divided into two groups: • Macro minerals • 7 major minerals needed in largest quantity • Micro minerals • 9 trace minerals that are only needed in small amounts

21. 6 Basic Nutrients • Minerals • Functions: • Build bones and teeth • Produce enzymes and hormones

22. 6 Basic Nutrients • Minerals • Deficiency Symptoms: • Slow growth • Decreased reproduction • Decreased milk production • Decreased product production: • Meat • Milk • Eggs • Wool

23. Feeding Program Terminology • Diet • Feed and water that an animal receives • Amount and type based on: • What the animal needs at time • Type and quantity of nutrients contained in feed • Must be palatable • Diet is digestible and appeals to the animal

24. Feeding Program Terminology • Feed Classification • Roughages or Forages • Made up of leaves and the plants tender stems

25. Feeding Program Terminology • Feed Classification • Concentrates • High energy • Corn, wheat, sorghum, barley, rye, and oats • High protein • Soybean oil meal, cottonseed oil meal and sunflower meals

26. Feeding Program Terminology • Feed Classification • Supplements • Contains a specific nutrient • Vitamins and Minerals

27. Feeding Program Terminology • Ration • Feed that contains the right amount and proportion of nutrients for the animal • Growth • Maintenance • Work and Activity • Reproduction • Lactation

28. Feeding Program Terminology • Ration • Growth • High in energy and protein • Increases the animal’s body size • Maintenance • High in carbohydrates and fats • Keep animal constant with no gain or loss of weight • Work and Activity • Increased carbohydrates and fats • Extra energy needed to perform

29. Feeding Program Terminology • Ration • Reproduction • Largest amount of protein, minerals, and vitamins of any ration • Improve conception rates and breeding ability for males and females • Important for producing live, healthy offspring that have a good birth weight • Lactation • High in protein, calcium, and phosphorus • Same nutrients contained in the milk

30. Specific Diets • Dogs • Adults • Commercial feed best • Puppies • Need higher protein than adult dogs • Food intake is regulated by activity • Cats • Need twice as much protein as dogs • 10% of their diet should be fat

31. Specific Diets • Rabbits • Commercial pelleted feed best • Avoid too much leafy green vegetables • Gerbils • Commercial feed • Need little green food in diet • Rats • Can have dog food substituted

32. Specific Diets • Ferrets • Can eat high quality cat food • Mice • Will not overeat • Guinea Pigs • Need solid food to dull their teeth • Vitamin C

33. Specific Diets • Snakes • Mice • Can eat canned dog/cat food • Turtles • Pieces of liver • Strawberries and other fruits • Amphibians • Earthworms and insects

34. Specific Diets • Lizards • Insects • Birds • Most birds prefer a diet of seeds • Cereal and oil seeds • Fruit and nectar birds • Oranges, grapes and apple slices

35. Specific Diets • Fish • Diet is affected by water temperature, kind of fish and life stage • Eat more when the water temperature is higher • Variety of foods • Prevent boredom • Larger fish • Shrimp, krill, and plankton • Smaller fish • Flakes • Feed amount they can eat in a few minutes to avoid contaminating water