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Course Syllabus

AGBS 2400 Livestock Feeds and Feeding

  • Division: Business and Applied Tech
  • Department: Business
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 4; Lecture: 4; Lab: 0
  • Semesters Offered: TBA
  • Semester Approved: Spring 2026
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2030
  • End Semester: Fall 2031
  • Optimum Class Size: 24
  • Maximum Class Size: 30

Course Description

Students will study the differences in digestive tracts of farm animals and the related digestive physiology. The composition of feeds and their uses are analyzed, and ration balancing is practiced. Least cost rations are balanced for farm animals and pets using a pencil, a calculator, and a computer.

Justification

Animal feeding is an important activity in the world of agriculture. Feed costs make up about 70% of the expense of raising meat animals. With profit margins tight, it is important that feed costs are kept in check. It is also becoming more important as people pay more attention to human and pet nutrition. This course is also a prerequisite to most upper-division nutrition courses in the animal science and nutrition area.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to implement livestock feeding principles associated with different livestock operations.
  2. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to analyze feed ingredients and the processes used in doing so.
  3. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify the nutritional composition of important feedstuffs used throughout livestock operations.
  4. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to troubleshoot the nutritional problems arising in feeding livestock.
  5. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to balance rations for different livestock species.
  6. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to navigate the economics of feeding livestock and associated costs.

Course Content

Course objectives will be accomplished by providing students with the following learning topics: the digestive tracts of ruminants, non-ruminants, and poultry; the general function of feed nutrients; the feed nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals); nutrient digestion, absorption, and transport; the proximate analysis of feedstuffs; feeds and the various feed groups; balancing rations for various species; processing feeds; harvesting and storage of feeds. Field trips are taken to local agricultural operations.