Animal nutrition and feed science are the main scientific promote for today’s modern breeding and feed industries. Animal nutrition is the most important factor affecting performance, reproduction and products quality. Improving productivity through better nutrition is determined by some interrelated considerations such as the availability of nutrients, type of feeding system and the level of feeding management. Poor nutrition affects growth, reproduction and immune system. Besides, feed has financially the largest share in animal production, irrespective of species and production system. Feed accounts for 65–75% of total cost of livestock production. This chapter provides the fundamental concepts of animal nutrition a general awareness on nutrition and feeding of livestock (swine, poultry, beef and dairy cattle, sheep and goat). Besides, feed is financially the single most important element of animal production in most production system.
Part of the book: Animal Husbandry and Nutrition