COURSE
                GUIDE
              ANP 502
              RUMINANT NUTRITION
              Course Team        Prof. Grace E. Jokthan (Course Writer) – NOUN
                                 Prof. Grace E. Jokthan (Programme Leader) – NOUN
                                 Prof. G. S. Bawa     (Course Editor) – ABU, Zaria
                                 Dr. Ahmed A. Njidda (Course Coordinator) – NOUN
              NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
                             ANP 502                                                        COURSE GUIDE
                             ©2019byNOUNPress
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                             All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or
                             byanymeans,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthe publisher.
                             Printed:  2020
                             ISBN: 978-978-970-186-5
                             ii
          ANP 502                                  COURSE GUIDE
          CONTENTS                                  PAGE
          Introduction …………………………………………………....…….iv
          Course Aims …………………………………………………………iv
          Course Objectives …………………………………………………... iv
          Working through this Course ………………………………………..v
          Course Materials …………………………………………………..... v
          Study Units ……………………………………………………..……v
          Assessment …………………………………………………………. vi
          Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA) ……………………………….. vi
          End of Course Examination………………………………………….vi
          Summary …………………………………………………………….vii
                                                           iii
                 ANP 502                              COURSE GUIDE
                 INTRODUCTION
                 Introduction to Ruminant Nutrition is a 500 level two unit course leading to
                 B.Sc Agriculture  degree.  The  course  can  also  be  offered  by  any  other
                 student  of  agriculture  who  may  be  interested  in  ruminant  animal
                 production.  This  course  is  concerned  with  the  nutrition  and  digestive
                 processes of ruminant animals. This entails knowing the accurate feed and
                 water requirement of the animal. This course will therefore, enable you
                 acquire the knowledge of the physiology and microbial environment of the
                 ruminant and the different processes involved in nutrient evaluation.
                 This course offers you a thorough understanding of the group of animals
                 that  chew  the  cud.  These  set  of  animals  are  those  that  feed  on  plant
                 materials and utilize them for the production of various products like meat,
                 milk,  hides  and  skin  and  so  many  other  agro-based  products  and  by-
                 products. The course teaches about the importance of this class of animals,
                 the  various  breeds,  and  how  to  manage  them.  The  management  of  the
                 weaners or the weaned animals to maturity and other production purposes
                 in terms of their feeds and feeding was also addressed. It also teaches about
                 the  various  types  of  housing  and  equipment  available  as  well  as  the
                 management practices you need to carry out in order to maintain healthy
                 animals on the farm. The course material also teaches about the common
                 ruminant disease that could be encountered on a farm and how they could
                 be  treated  or  controlled.  Processing  of  the  various  products  and  there
                 marketing procedures were also discussed. This course also prepares you
                 for  the  advanced  level  courses  such  as  Beef Production,  Dairy  Cattle
                 Production  and  Sheep  and  Goat  Production  which  you  may  do  if  you
                 choose to specialize in Animal Science.
                 COURSE AIM
                 Ruminant Nutrition is designed to provide you with the knowledge of the
                 nutrient  requirements  of  the  ruminant  animal  and  the  processes  and
                 pathways through which these nutrients are properly utilized by the animal
                 in the digestive tract.
                 COURSE OBJECTIVES
                 On successful completion of the course, you should be able to:
                    Explain the rumen environment, physiology and metabolic pathways
                    Explain the different systems of energy and protein partitioning
                 iv