ANSC 4110 - Integrated Cattle Nutrition

Fall. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: BIOAP 1100 and ANSC 2120, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to: juniors and seniors. Recommended prerequisite: ANSC 3550. Co-meets with ANSC 6110.

M. Van Amburgh.

Integrates concepts of cattle nutrition and farm nutritional management to help students understand and appreciate factors influencing the performance of cattle under diverse conditions. Topics include the effect of environment on maintenance costs; the nutrient requirements for various stages of growth, lactation, and pregnancy; rumen function; feed composition and chemistry; nutrient partitioning; and the environmental impacts of cattle and how to minimize them. Computer models (Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System) are used in the laboratory to actualize the information presented in lectures. Herd case studies are used in lab and there are field trips to farms to evaluate the nutritional management.

Outcome 1: Cultivate skills for cattle diet construction and evaluation using software that allows for the determination of first limiting nutrients.

Outcome 2: Articulate how nutrient metabolism can affect health and productivity of cattle.

Outcome 3: Apply concepts of feed chemistry, microbial growth and rumen function to reduce the environmental impact of milk and meat production while optimizing economic productivity.

Outcome 4: Explain the metabolic regulation and change in nutrient requirements when animals move from one physiological state to another.

Outcome 5: Integrate quantitative thinking to nutritional problem solving and gain an appreciation for modeling approaches to solving problems in animal agriculture.