| The course will discuss the physiological mechanisms of ruminant digestion, absorption and metabolism in detail. It includes: 1. The importance of ruminants and their systematic classification, 2. Anatomy of the ruminant stomach, 3. Growth and development of the ruminant stomach, 4. Ingestion and mastication of feed, 5. Salivary production and function, 6. Stomach motility, 7. Passage of digesta through the gastro-intestinal tract, 8. Excretion and digestion, 9. Partial digestion and absorption, 10. The nature of rumen contents, 11. Rumen microbiology, 12. Rumen metabolism of carbohydrates, 13. Rumen metabolism of nitrogenous compounds, 14. Rumen metabolism of lipids, 15. Vitamins and minerals in rumen fermentation, 16. Rumen fermentation of natural feedstuffs, 17. Rumen dysfunction, 18. Water requirements, 19. The macro minerals, 20. The trace minerals, 21. Toxic minerals and toxic plants, 22. Protein requirements; utilization of NPN sources, 23. Requirements for lipids, carbohydrates and vitamins; development of purified diets, 24. Energy metabolism and metabolism of the volatile fatty acids, 25. Metabolic problems peculiar to ruminants-ketosis, milk fever, Mg tetany, parakeratosis, urinary calculi, 26. Nutrient interrelationships; genetic-nutrient interactions; species comparisons, 27. Nutrition of the young ruminant, 28. Appetite-taste and palatability-regulation of voluntary food Intake, 29. Starvation and stress-effect of environment on nutritional physiology, 30. Concluding remarks. |
