Explain the food requirement of cattles

The food eaten by animals is called feed. The animal feed is of two types:

(i) Roughage – It largely contains fibres such as green fodder, silage, hay and legumes.

(ii) Concentrates – It includes the mixture of substances which are rich in one or more nutrients. Concentrates are low in fibres and contains relatively high proteins and other nutrients. Example – oil seeds, cotton seeds, oats, barley, jowar, gram etc.

Feed according to age and functions are:

(i) Maintenance requirements – The food is required by the animal to support it to perform the basic functions of life.

(ii) Milk producing requirements – It includes the type of food during lactation period. Maintenance part of the ration depends upon the body weight and age while milk production part is dependent upon the level and composition of milk.