RUMINANT PRODUCTION AND HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Laboratory
Mikhaela Patricia C. Velasco
EXERICISE 8

I. Objectives:
Understand with the proper feeding management employed in ruminant production
Distinguish common feedstuff
Correlate the importance of nutrition to a healthy animal

II. Questions for Research

1. Enumerate and give a short background about the classification of nutrients

Nutrients Description
Regarded universal solvent and it enters any biochemical actions of
Water
tissues and body fluids
Carbohydrates Furnish heat and energy to animals
Proteins Essential for maintenance and repair of body tissues
Furnish heat and energy but 2.25x better than carbohydrates; hydrolyses
Fats
for fatty acids and glycerides
Serves as co-enzymes or precursors of co enzymes for any biochemical
Vitamins
reaction
Elements or compounds which serves as the structural component of the
Minerals
body

2. Using diagrams, discuss thoroughly how Non-protein Nitrogen (NPN) is utilized in

ruminant

Microbes, like rumen degradable protein, can metabolize NPN compounds to create ammonia,
which they then use to synthesize microbial proteins. Following that, microbial protein digestion
proceeds in the same manner as RDP digestion. The availability of substrate is needed for microbial
protein synthesis. Nitrogen and energy are the two most essential substrates. If the supply of nitrogen
as ammonia exceeds the capacity of microbial proteins to synthesize it, the ruminant can ingest the
ammonia and recycle the nitrogen in the body. If the remaining nitrogen exceeds the ruminant's
capacity to recycle it, it would be excreted in the urine.

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 RUMINANT PRODUCTION AND HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Laboratory
Mikhaela Patricia C. Velasco
EXERICISE 8

3. Discuss thoroughly how mineral block is produced

Materials Needed
Molasses
Urea (Fertilizer Grade)
Mineral Premix
Maize Germ (or other bulking agent)
Cement
Common table salt
Anthelmintic (for medicated block)
Water
• 1 x 100 kg dose of benzimidazole anthelmintic per kg of ingridients. The most preferred
drugs include Zerofen and Panacur

Steps in making medicated feed block

Pour 5 litres of water in a concrete mixer and add 10 kg of urea in the running
Step 1
concrete mixer. Run the mixer until all the urea is dissolved
Add 1 litre of the anthelmintic (a 10% formulation of the appropriate drug e.g.
Step 2
Zerofen, Panacur).
Weigh out 12 kg of cement and slowly mix in 3 litres of water until a homogeneous
Step 3 paste is attained. Pour this into the running mixer and add 3 kg of common salt and
5 kg of mineral premix.
Measure out 25 kg of molasses and put in the running mixer. Use 2 litres of hot water
Step 4
to rinse the cement and molasses containers and add this to the mixer
Measure out 35 kg maize germ or any other bulking agent and put this in the
Step 5 concrete mixer. Let the mixer run until the thick paste is homogeneous. The resulting
paste is ready for moulding into any preferred shapes and sizes.
Oil the inside of the moulding bowls or other suitable mould for ease of removal of
the blocks after setting. Any edible salad oil can be used for this purpose. Pour the
Step 6 paste into 20 moulds of 5 kg each. The blocks should be left in the sun for about two
hours. After this, they should be removed from the moulds and left to dry indoors for
1-2 weeks depending on the weather

4. Enumerate and give the main component of the 6 types of mineral block

Mineral Block Components

This one contains just regular table salt nothing more
Sine it provides no other nutritional value this one is not really
White recommended
About the only use that this one has is using it to draw cattle into
underutilized areas of the pasture
Contains everything in the brown one plus has selenium
Lack of selenium in the diet can cause white muscle disease
Black
Word of caution: only use this one if you have a deficiency because
too much selenium can also be dangerous
Along with salt this one contains sulfur as well Developed for use in
Yellow
southern US pastures that have a problem with insects and ticks
Contains salt, iron, and iodine
Red This particular block is generally needed in the Great Lakes, Midwest,
Northeast, and Rocky Mountain regions of the US
This one contains cobalt and iodine
Blue It was created for deficiences in the British Columbia and Alberta
regions of Canada
Contains cobalt, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and
manganese
Brown
This is a good all around salt block to use
Producers in the Western ranges should use this one

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 RUMINANT PRODUCTION AND HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Laboratory
Mikhaela Patricia C. Velasco
EXERICISE 8

5. Discuss thoroughly how ammonia toxicity occurs in ruminants (Etiology, C/S, Lesions,
Treatment and Control

Nitrogen is obtained from two origins of ruminant rations, first is natural

plant and animal protein, and second is non-protein nitrogen (NPN)
such as urea or ammonia. Non-protein nitrogen is used as a low-cost
nitrogen substitute in ruminant feed. Rumen microbes use urease to
transform NPN to ammonia. The microbes then mix the ammonia with
ketoacids to create amino acids.
Also in the absence of keto acids, urease in the rumen will proceed to
Physiology of Toxicosis
convert urea to ammonia. There is an accumulation of ruminal
ammonia whether the rate of ammonia synthesis (i.e., urea via urease
breakdown to ammonia) or absorption of ammonia (i.e., ammoniated
feeds) exceeds the microbes' capacity to use it to form amino acids.
The urea cycle usually detoxifies ammonia ingested from the rumen
into bloodstream circulation. This detoxification mechanism can
become overburdened, resulting in high blood ammonia levels.
The most common causes of toxicosis from NPN supplementation
include the following:
-Improper mixing of NPN resulting in concentrated pockets.
-Calculation error resulting in excessive supplementation.
Causes of Toxicosis -Inadequate adaptation period. Cattle require at least five to seven
days of small increases in concentration. This adaptation period needs
to be repeated even if NPN is removed for a very short time.
-NPN rations low in carbohydrates prevent proper formation of keto
acids. --Free-choice access to NPN rations.
The animals are often found dead as the progression of ammonia
toxicosis is very rapid. The onset of clinical signs may vary from a matter
of only 15 minutes to several hours. Death usually occurs around 24
hours following ingestion but can range from less than one hour to
three to four days. Clinical signs include ear twitching, pupil dilation,
rapid eye blinking, dyspnea, excessive salivation, frequent
urination/defecation, ataxia, and tonic convulsions induced by stimuli.
Clinical Signs Death of affected animals may result from multiple factors and is a
somewhat inconsistent finding. Hypeikalemia may occur due to
metabolic acidosis since the primary mechanism of ammonia toxicosis
appears to be an inhibition of the citric acid cycle with resulting
compensatory anaerobic glycolysis. Hyperkalemia can induce
cardiac failure. Respiratory paralysis or anoxia from prolonged seizure
activity as well as CNS dysfunction from the direct actions of ammonia
can also result in death of the animal
Unfortunately, there are no characteristic gross or microscopic lesions.
Nonspecific lesions such as pulmonary edema, hydrothorax, and
visceral congestion may be seen. Ammonia toxicosis is a very difficult
diagnosis unless there is a history of NPN supplementation. Feed
samples should be taken for NPN analysis. Whole blood, rumen fluid,
Diagnosis vitreous fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid should be collected in sterile
containers and submitted frozen for ammonia analysis. Normal
blood/vitreous ammonia concentrations should be less than 0.5 mg/dl.
Clinical signs appear when blood ammonia levels reach
approximately 1.0 mg/dl. Death usually occurs at blood ammonia
concentrations greater than 2.0 mg/dl.
Because of the rapid clinical course of NPN (i.e., urea) induced
ammonia toxicosis, treatment often is not possible. If confronted with
Treatment such a diagnosis, several modes of treatment have been suggested in
the literature. Acidify the rumen by infusing two to six liters acetic acid
(vinegar) per animal (cattle) or 0.5-1 liter in sheep and goats. Follow

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 RUMINANT PRODUCTION AND HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Laboratory
Mikhaela Patricia C. Velasco
EXERICISE 8

the vinegar with large volumes (20-30L [adult cattle]) of cold water.
This should act to convert most of the ammonia into the NR^ form,
which is not readily absorbed across the rumen wall. Emergency
rumenotomy with removal of contents has also been suggested as a
treatment Regardless of the treatment attempted, the prognosis is
poor for recumbent animals. The prognosis improves for animals that
survive the acute phase of the condition
Prevention of nitrate poisoning is best achieved by controlling the type
and quantity of forage offered to livestock. Avoid forages with
potentially toxic levels of nitrate or at least dilute them with feeds low in
nitrate. When in doubt, have feeds and forages analyzed for nitrate
Prevention before grazing or feeding them. Forages with sublethal nitrate levels
can be fed to livestock with appropriate precautions. No single level of
nitrate is toxic under all conditions. When grazing, feed a dry roughage
first to reduce the amount of affected plants ingested by hungry
animals.

6. Discuss thoroughly the process of Silage making

Steps in making silage

The crop should be ready to harvest: The seed of forage sorghum or maize to be
Step 1
soft but not milky when you squeeze it open
Step 2 Napier grass (pennisetum) needs to be about a metre high (up to a man's waist).
If there are legumes growing between the crop or bana grass, make sure the
Step 3
legumes have young pods which are not dry.
If it has been raining and the forage is wet, or if the forage seems immature (the
Step 4 seed is very milky) then it is best to harvest it and leave it in the sun for a few hours to
wilt (too much water in the forage can spoil the silage).
The chopping and bagging area or silage pit must be clean and ready for the
Step 5
forage. If possible, a big piece of plastic should be spread out as shown below
Step 6 Ensure proper compaction whether pit or bag silage is being made
Seal the silage material by ensuring no air can penetrate. Silage is formed through
Step 7
anaerobic fermentation by microorganisms.
Carefully and step by step open a small portion of the silage when need arises for
Step 8
feeding and seal the remaining silage immediately after the removal

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 RUMINANT PRODUCTION AND HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Laboratory
Mikhaela Patricia C. Velasco
EXERICISE 8

7. Define the following

a. Feedstuff

a food provided for cattle and other livestock

b. Roughage

a feed which contains high fiber and low digestible nutrient

c. Forage

a feed materials with lower nutritive value than concentrates

d. Soilage

fresh cut grass from the pasture; green chop

e. Silage

fermented forage crop

f. Herbage

grass and other herbaceous vegetation for animal feeding

g. Forbs

the edible leaves and stems of woody plants

h. Browses

contrasted with grazing, usually associated with animals feeding on grass or

other lower vegetations

i. Chaff

made by chopping straw (or sometimes coarse hay) into very short lengths,
using a machine called a chaff cutter

j. Straw

the dry stems (culms) and leaves of small cereals such as wheat, barley, oat,
triticale, rye and rice

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