Distinguish between feeding programs for small animals

Objective 6.02

Major Ways Nutrients Are Used • Maintenance- rations high in carbohydrates and fats designed to keep

constant with no gain or loss of weight.• Growth- rations high in energy and protein so as to increase the animal’s

body size.• Reproduction- A ration that contains the largest amount of protein,

minerals, and vitamins of any ration. Reproduction rations improve conception rates and breeding ability for males and females and are important for producing live, healthy offspring that have a good birth weight.

• Lactation- rations for lactating (milk producing) females encourage large milk production and are high in protein, calcium, and phosphorus (same nutrients contained in milk)

• Work and activity- rations need increased amounts of fats and carbohydrates to supply the extra energy needed to perform (example: hunting dog chasing game)

Feeding Program Terminology

• Diet- feed and water that an animal receives– Amount and type of feedstuff (ingredients) is

based on • What the animal needs at time• The kinds and amounts of nutrients contained in

feed– A good diet must be palatable. Palatability means

the diet is digestible and appeals to the animal. A good nutritious feed is only good if it is eaten

• Ration- a feed that contains the right amount and proportion of nutrients

Feeding program terminology

• Feed classifications-– Roughages (or forages)- made up of leaves and the

plants tender stems– Concentrates recommended for small animals as a

regular part of their diet because it is high in energy or protein• High energy diets include: corn, wheat, sorghum,

barley, rye, and oats• High protein diets include: soybean oil meal,

cottonseed oil meal, and sunflower meals–Supplements- contains a specific nutrient

Specific Animal Diets• Dogs and cats- the best feed is usually a commercial

feed variety– Puppies need diet higher in protein than adults and food intake is

regulated by activity– Cats need twice as much protein as dogs and 10% of their diet should be

fat• Rabbits- Best to use pellet type of commercial feed and avoid

feeding leafy green vegetables• Pocket pets- Best to use pellet type commercial feed and keep diet

consistent. If mixing ration; should have a wide range of food. Various diets include: gerbils need a little green food in diet, rats can have dog food substituted, ferrets can eat cat food, mice will not overeat, and guinea pigs need solid food to dull their teeth and a certain amount of Vitamin C

Specific Animal Diets• Amphibians and Reptiles-Depending on their size, amphibians and reptiles prefer to

eat animals (snakes eat mice, turtles eat meat, amphibians eat insects and earthworms– Tadpoles will eat pellets of rabbit, dog, or cat food– Turtles- pieces of meat or liver will do, can feed fruit– Snakes in captivity, depending on size, eat a variety of insects, baby rodents, frogs and

toads, full-grown rodents or can learn to eat canned dog/cat food– Most of the lizards eat insects

• Birds- Most birds prefer a diet of seeds– Two basic types of seed included in a bird’s diet are cereal seeds and oil seeds– Fruit and nectar birds eat oranges, grapes, and apple slices

• Fish- Diet is affected by water temperature. Fish generally eat more when the temperature is higher– Should be given a variety of foods so they don’t get bored– Shrimp, krill, plankton can be fed to larger fish– Flakes are good for smaller fish– Amount fish eats is relative to temperature of water, kind of fish, and stage of life– Amount fish is fed should be amount it can eat in a few minutes to avoid contaminating water