ANIMAL GROWTH AND

DEVELOPMENT
B Y: J E S S A D . PA B I L L O R E
 OBJECTIVES

1. Define the different terminologies used in animal growth

and development;
2. Discuss the mechanism of growth phase;
3. Explain phenomenon that occur in ovum phase;
4. Explain and discuss the embryonic growth
5. Discuss growth in the muscle;
6. Expound concept and topic on fatal growth;
7. Describe and explain the post-natal growth; and
8. Discuss adipose tissue growth
DEFINITION OF IMPORTANT
TERMINOLOGIES
GROWTH
 WHAT IS GROWTH?

• Fundamental to every living creature

• The general or normal expansion of size as produced by the accretion
of tissues similar to that of the original tissue or organ
• Animal growth is an increase in an animal’s size or mass over its
lifetime.
• It is often associated with progressive development, may extend
throughout the animal’s life or it may be limited to when that species
is fully mature
• It is the irreversible change in size of cells of animal organs due to
both cell division and enlargement.

• Time Lapse Growth of Parakeets

 WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT?

It is the progression from earlier to later stages in

maturation, e.g. a fertilized egg develops into a
mature individual.
- It involves: growth, morphogenesis (the
acquisition of form and structure),
and differentiation. 
- The interactions of the environment and the
genetic instructions inherited by the cells
determine how the animal develops.
 HOW CAN GROWTH OCCUR?

• Hypertrophy
• Increase in cell size
• Hyperplasia
• Increase in cell number
• Accretion
• A growth or enlargement by a gradual build up
• Whole body growth does not occur independently
• Individual cellular changes allow tissues and organs to assume different
roles.
 TRUE GROWTH VS. FATTENING

• True growth – increase in the amount of muscle and bone

• Skeletal, Cardiac and Smooth muscle
• Fattening – increase in the accumulation of fat

• New calf has true growth

• Fattening occurs at the end of a life stage
 OTHER TERMINOLOGIES

• Cell division – There are two types of cell

division: mitosis and meiosis. Most of the
time when people refer to “cell division,”
they mean mitosis, the process of making
new body cells. Meiosis is the type of cell
division that creates egg and sperm cells.
Mitosis is a fundamental process for life.
• Differentiation- is the process in which
generalized cells specialize into the
morphologically and physiologically.
 OTHER TERMINOLOGIES

• Enlargement-  is an act or instance

of enlarging : the state of being enlarged.
• Morphogenesis -  is accomplished by
growth and by cell movement. A fixed
pattern is established early; the organism
is determined as to shape, size, and organ
complement.
“Birth, growing, reproduction and death represent
the four stages of development of all animal.”
GROWTH PHASE

• Most animals pass through an Embryonic Phase,

Larval Stage, Metamorphosis and Adult Phase to
reach eventually sexual maturity.
• Growth Phase starts from the basic unit (cell) which
undergo processes of cell division.
• All animals have unique G & D which can be
illustrated using growth curves.
GROWTH PHASE
• If animal height or weight are measured from
conception to senescence, the data usually follow a
flattened "S" shape called the sigmoid curve. But the
growth curves of meat animals raised under commercial
conditions may appear as relatively flat slopes (the
middle segment of the flat "S"), and the sigmoid shape
may only become apparent if the data include very
young animals or animal beyond a typical market weight.
In other words, growth velocity is approximately constant
during the commercial growing period.
• Acceleration and Deceleration
• Anabolism vs Catabolism

 ALL LIVE ANIMALS SHOW BOTH ANABOLISM AND CATABOLISM.

 IF ANABOLISM EXCEEDS CATABOLISM, THE ANIMAL IS GROWING.
 IF CATABOLISM EXCEEDS ANABOLISM, THE ANIMAL IS WASTING
AWAY.
 IF ANABOLISM EQUALS CATABOLISM, ANIMAL WEIGHT IS CONSTANT
OVUM PHASE
• Oogenesis, in the female animal reproductive system, growth process in which the
primary egg cell (or ovum) becomes a mature ovum. In any one animal generation, the
egg’s development starts before the female that carries it is even born; 8 to 20 weeks
after the fetus has started to grow, cells that are to become mature ova have been
multiplying, and by the time that the female is born, all of the egg cells that the ovaries
will release during the active reproductive years of the female are already present in
the ovaries. These cells, known as the primary ova, number around 400,000. The
primary ova remain dormant until just prior to ovulation, when an egg is released
from the ovary. Some egg cells may not mature for 40 years; others degenerate and
never mature.

• The egg cell remains as a primary ovum until the time for its release from the ovary
arrives. The egg then undergoes a cell division. The nucleus splits so that half of its
chromosomes go to one cell and half to another. One of these two new cells is usually
larger than the other and is known as the secondary ovum; the smaller cell is known as
a polar body. The secondary ovum grows in the ovary until it reaches maturation; it
then breaks loose and is carried into the fallopian tubes. Once in the fallopian tubes,
the secondary egg cell is suitable for fertilization by the male sperm cells.
OVUM PHASE
EMBRYONIC PHASE
EMBRYONIC PHASE

• Embryogenesis follows fertilization: within a

protective envelope, and
in viviparous organisms such as humans, and
animals within the maternal body, numerous
cells are produced from the zygote by
continuous mitotic divisions. Some groups of
animals, among them the vertebrates,
circumvent a larval state; in direct
development the adult phenotype arises from
the embryo step by step.
FETAL GROWTH

• Fetal growth is dynamic and serial measurements at 2 to 3 week intervals are

needed to define normality and abnormality. Normal growth is defined by
measurements of the head (biparietal diameter, head circumference), abdomen
circumference (AC) and femur length within the normal ranges for gestation.
• The fetus grows in the watery, protected environment of the uterus where
the mother supplies oxygen and nutrients, and waste products pass to her
blood circulation for excretion. Once the baby animal is born it must start to
breathe for itself, digest food and excrete its own waste.
Adaptation of the fetus to Life outside the uterus

Gametes        
Longevity Cattle Horse Sheep Swine
(Hours)

Sperm 30-48 72-120 3--48 34-72

Ovum 20-24 6-8 16-24 8-10
FETAL GROWTH
• Frequency of ovulation and length of embryonic development and expected number
of progeny per year per breeder female in the various species of farm animal species.
      Expected number of
    Incubation/Pregnancy young produced per year
Species Estrus (days)
Poultry      
Quail * 16-19 100-300
Pigeon * 17 10-20
Chicken * 21 50-300
Mallard * 28 50-300
Duck
Turkey * 28 50-100
Geese * 30 20-50
Muscovy * 36 50-100
duck
Rabbit 15-20 32 10-30
Swine 18-24 114 10-25
Sheep 17 147 1-3
Goat 20-21 148 2.5
Cattle 21 280 0.5
Carabao 22-24 316 0.5
POST NATAL GROWTH

• Postnatal growth consists of at least three distinct

phases, infancy, childhood, and puberty (11), which
are influenced by different growth factors. Infant growth
is largely a continuation of in utero growth, is influenced
predominantly by nutrition, and is largely growth
hormone independent (12).

• Postnatal growth is, essentially, hypertrophic: it is an

enlargement of the already existing cells rather than the
addition of new ones. 
POST NATAL GROWTH

• Components of Postnatal growth

a.General growth
b.Lymphoid growth
c.neural growth
d.genital growth
POST NATAL GROWTH

Factors Affecting Post-natal Growth

General Social/Environmental

Sex Natural resources

Genetic Factors Climate

Hormonal Influences Stress

Nutrition Farm Management Practices

Infections

Chemical Agents

Trauma
ADIPOSE TISSUE GROWTH

• Adipose tissue is a specialized 

connective tissue consisting of lipid-
rich cells called adipocytes. As it
comprises about 20-25% of total
body weight in healthy individuals,
the main function of adipose tissue is
to store energy in the form of lipids
(fat). Based on its location, fat tissue
is divided into parietal (under the skin
) and visceral (surrounding organs).
Depending on adipocyte morphology,
there are two types of adipose tissue:
 White adipose tissue - mainly found in
adults
 Brown adipose tissue - mainly found in
newborns 
ADIPOSE TISSUE GROWTH
• Adipose tissue is distributed within two
compartments of the human body: 
 Parietal or subcutaneous fat, which is
embedded in the connective tissue under
the skin 
 Visceral fat, which surrounds the internal
organs, such as eyeballs (periorbital fat)
or kidneys (perirenal fat capsule). 
 ADIPOSE TISSUE

• The main cells that compose adipose tissue are called adipocytes. Besides
adipocytes, several other cell types are present; preadipocytes, fibroblasts,
capillary endothelial cells, macrophages and stem cells. These non-adipocyte
cells collectively form the stromal vascular fraction, and their main function is to
support and protect the adipose tissue. 
• Adipocytes (adipose cells, fat cells), are the building blocks of adipose tissue.
There are three types of adipocytes that constitute two different types of
adipose tissue; 

 White adipocytes - main cells of the white adipose tissue

 Brown adipocytes - chief cells of the brown adipose tissue 
 Beige adipocytes - recently discovered type, found dispersed within white fat
tissue 
These cell types differ in their morphology and function. 
 HOW DO WE MEASURE GROWTH?

• ADG-Average Daily Gain

• This is the most common measurement
• Weight at day X – weight at day 0
# of days on feed
 WHY WOULD WE WANT A FASTER
GROWTH RATE?
• Goes to market sooner
• Use less feed
• More time to put on fate
• Hopefully achieve a higher quality grade over the same period

• All comes down to being more efficient!

CATTLE 1950’S - PRESENT
SWINE 1950’S - PRESENT
SHEEP 1950’S - PRESENT