3.8 (112)
Master’s degree in Veterinary / Animal Sciences with specialization in Animal Nutrition.
Online competitive examination (Computer Based Test) followed by Interview shall be conducted as per the following plan of examination:-
Examination |
Max. Marks |
Duration |
(a) Objective Type |
150 |
2 hours |
(b) Interview |
30 |
18. ANIMAL NUTRITION
Unit 1: Energy and Proteins
Nutritional significance of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Cell-wall fractionation. Available energy from organic nutrients. Partitioning of dietary energy. Basal metabolic rate. Energy retention. Factors affecting energy' utilization. Direct and indirect calorimetry. Dietary lipids - their c igestion, absorption and metabolism. Essential fatty acids. Effect of dietary fat on milk and body composition. Proteins - digestion, absorption and utilization. Com larative efficiency of amino acids as energy source. Essential and critical amino acids Protein evaluation. Metabolizable protein concept. Protein energy inter-relationship. Energetic of protein utilization for maintenance and different productive functions.
Unit 2: Minerals, Vitamins and Feed Additives Minerals
Classification of minerals, Physiological functions, Deficiency symptoms and toxicity - Inter-relationships - Synergism and antagonism - Requirements - Different sources and bio-availability - Role of chelated minerals. Vitamins: Physiological functions and co-cnzyme role - Deficiency symptoms, hyper-vitaminosis. Requirements, Sources and vitamin analogues - Antivitamins - Feed Additives: Nutritional role. Probiotics - Probiotics, phytochemicals other metabolic modifiers. Role of phyto-chemicals as growth promoters.
Unit 3: Rumen eco-system and functions
Rumen and its environment. Development of functional rumen. Digestion kinetics in reticulo-rumen. Role of rumen microbes, Significance of rumen fungi - Defaunation and transfaunation. Microbial fermentation in rumen. VFA production, inter-conversion and utilization. Dietary protein breakdown. Microbial protein synthesis. NPN compounds ar d their utilization. Ammonia toxicity - Role of slow release urea compounds. Manipulation of rumen fermentation. Bio-hydrogenation and utilization of dietary lipids. Methanogenesis and methane inhibitors.
Unit 4: Non-ruminant Nutrition
Comparative gastrointestinal physiology of monogastrics - digestion and metabolism of organic nutrients ir poultry and swine. Significance of minerals and vitamins in mono-gastrics. Inter relationship in nutrient sparing activity. Feeding systems. Role of feed additives - Factors affecting nutritional quality and performance. Special nutritional needs of rabbits, horses and companion animals.
Unit 5: Nutrient Requirements
Energy protein requirements for maintenance and productivity in ruminants and non-ruminants. Colostrum feeding of calf, mineral and vitamin requirements. Dry matter intake in relation to productivity. DM: water intake ratio. Palatability. Nutritional intake and energy density. Feeding standards - NRC, ARC, Kearl and Indian. Nutrient requirements under temperate and tropical environment. Feeding strategies during stress and natural calamities - Ration formulation - least cost rations.
Unit 6: Forage Conservation and Evaluation
Natural and cultivated forges-Their composition and nutritive values. Nutritive value Index. Forage quality evaluation in range animals - Role of indicator methods-Advances in silage and haymaking - Factors affecting quality of conserved forages- Quality criteria and grading of silage and hay under tropics-artificial drying of forages.
Unit 7: Feed Processing and Technology
Methods of feed processing - physical, chemical and biological effect of processing on nutritional quality and utilization. Pelleted and extruded feeds. Quality control of raw feedstuffs and finished feeds: Significance of BIS (standards). Handling and storage of raw and finished feeds. Methods to improve shelf life of fat rich feeds, By-products of newly introduced commercial crops including residues of genetically modified feeds. Alternative feed resources. Current approaches in enriching tropical feed resources - concept of total mixed ration and advances in complete diet formulation.
Unit 8: Anti-metabolites and Toxic Principles
Naturally occurring anti-nutritional factors and common toxins in feeds and forages. Methods of detoxification. Health hazards due to residual pesticides in feeds and forages - Environmental pollutants.
Unit 9: Elements of Research Methodology
Principles of animal experimentation - Experimental designs in nutritional research. Modern methods of feed evaluation - In vitro, gas production and nylon bag techniques, Rumen simulation techniques - Rusitec Tracer techniques in nutrition research - Role of NIR Spectroscopy - Feed microscopy in quality evaluation of feedstuffs.
Unit 10: Clinical Nutrition
Role of nutrition to control digestive and metabolic disorders milk fever, ketosis, ruminal acidosis-laminitis, bloat), metabolic profile tests. Role of nutrition in immunity, nutrition and reproduction, nutrients as antioxidants. Role of nutrition in management of GI parasites.