ANS 6905 - Ruminant Nutrition

(Section 6619)
Spring 2008
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday; Period 5; 11:45 to 12:35
Room 201 Building 499
______________________________________________________________________

Instructor: Dr. William F. Brown

Animal Sciences Department
Building 459; Room 210-E; PO Box 110910
Telephone: (352) 392-2455
E-mail: wfbrown@[Link]

Office Hours: Open door policy. Call or e-mail if you would like to set an appointment.

Prerequisites: ANS 5446: Animal Nutrition, or equivalent

Course Format:

 Four one-period lectures per week.

 Each lecture is provided in voice-over PowerPoint.
 It is suggested that course participants review the voice-over PowerPoint
lecture material before class.
 Course participants will review and lead discussion of scientific articles
related to daily lecture topics.

Website: [Link]
Enter your GatorLink username and password.

Course Objectives:

 To provide a fundamental understanding of the anatomy, growth and

development of the ruminant digestive tract.
 To discuss and understand the symbiotic nature of the ruminant animal
and its microbes on ruminal fermentation and digestion.
 To describe important ruminal and metabolic nutrition-related disorders.
 To understand the use of current National Research Council (NRC)
publications in calculating nutrient requirements.
Needed Computer Hardware and Software:

 Computer with a sound card

 Microsoft PowerPoint or PowerPoint Viewer
 Microsoft Word
 Adobe Acrobat – free from [Link]
 Quicktime Video Player – free from [Link]

Textbook:

 No required textbook; however the following are suggested resources:

o The Ruminant Animal – Digestive Physiology and Nutrition.
1988. D.C. Church (Ed.), Pretice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
o Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant – 2nd Edition. 1994. P.J.
Van Soest, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.
o Rumen Microbiology and Its Role in Ruminant Nutrition. 2002.
J.B. Russell. Cornell University. Ithaca, NY.
o Quantitative Aspects of Ruminant Digestion and Metabolism –
2nd Edition. 2005. J. Dijkstra, J.M. Forbes and J. France (Ed.).
CABI Publishing. Oxfordshire, UK and Cambridge, MA.
o Protein Nutrition in Ruminants. 1982. E.R. Orskov. Academic
Press. London, New York.
o Ruminant Nitrogen Usage. 1985. Subcommittee on Nitrogen
Usage in Ruminants. National Research Council. National
Academy Press. Washington, DC.
o Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle – 7th Edition. 1996.
Subcommittee on Beef Cattle Nutrition. National Research Council.
National Academy Press. Washington, DC.

Attendance Policy:

 In-class discussion of lecture material and scientific articles related to lecture

topics is an extremely important component of this course. For this reason,
attendance is mandatory. Please notify me prior to class if you will not be
able to attend.

Discussion of Scientific Articles:

 Class participants will lead discussion of scientific articles. All articles will be
provided to the class participants by way of the website. The presentation will
include a brief introduction, description of the materials and methods utilized
and a discussion of results and discussion. A focus will be placed on an
 explanation of reasons (or proposed reasons) for the results obtained. A
PowerPoint presentation can be developed if desired or the presentation can
be made using the pdf file of the article through the computer and LCD
projector in the classroom. Presentations will be 12 to 15 minutes followed by
12 to 15 minutes of class discussion. Presentation days will be selected by
the class participants.
 Variation in papers is intended to provide a wide range of exposure
to the literature.
 A wide range of journals will be used. Journals differ in their
format, style and approach.
 A wide range of publication dates will be used (some older papers,
some current papers).
 A range of “quality” will be used. We will discuss appropriateness
of experimental design, selection of animal numbers, statistical
analysis, our thoughts on strengths and weaknesses of the papers.

Academic Assessment:

Grading Scale
Item Points
% Grade
Three Mid-Semester Exams 100 each
90 - 100 A
Final Exam (not comprehensive) 100
85 - 89 B+
Test 1: Lectures 1 – 12 Date: Friday Feb 1
80 - 84 B
Test 2: Lectures 13 – 27 Date: Friday Feb 29
75 - 79 C+
Test 3: Lectures 28 – 42 Date: Friday April 4
70 - 74 C
Final: Lectures 43 – 53 Date: Wednesday
65 - 69 D+
April 30 5:30 – 7:30
60 - 64 D
Presentation of scientific articles 100
< 60 E Attendance & Participation 100
Total 600

Academic Honesty:

 The University of Florida requires all members of its community to be honest

in all endeavors. Cheating, plagiarism, and other acts diminish the process of
learning. When students enroll at UF they commit themselves to honesty and
integrity. Your instructor fully expects you to adhere to the academic honesty
guidelines you signed when you were admitted to UF.
 As a result of completing the registration form at the University of Florida,
every student has signed the following statement: “I understand the
University
of Florida expects it students to be honest in all their academic work. I agree
 to adhere to this commitment to academic honesty and understand that my
failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary action up to
and including expulsion from the University.”
 Furthermore, on work submitted for credit by UF students, the following
pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor
received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.”
 It is to be assumed all work will be completed independently unless the
assignment is defined as group project, in writing by the professor.
 The Academic Honesty policy will be vigorously upheld at all times in this
course.

Software Use:

 All faculty, staff, and students of the University are required and expected to
obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so
can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual
violator. Because such violations are also against University policies and
rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate.

Campus Helping Resources:

 Students experiencing crisis or personal problems that interfere with their

general well being are encouraged to utilize the university’s counseling
resources. Both the Counseling Center and Student Mental Health provide
confidential counseling services at no cost for currently enrolled students.
Resources are available on campus for students having personal problems or
lacking clear career and academic goals, which interfere with their academic
performance. The Counseling Center is located at 301 Peabody Hall (next to
Criser Hall). Student Mental Health is located on the second floor of the
Student Health Services in the Infirmary.
 University Counseling Center, 301 Peabody Hall, 392-1575; personal and
career counseling: [Link]
 Student Mental Health, Student Health Care Center, 392-1171, personal
counseling: [Link]/shcc/[Link]
 Sexual Assault Recovery Services (SARS), Student Health Care Center, 392-
1161, sexual assault counseling; and assistance and counseling.
 Career Resource Center, Reitz Union, 392-1601, career development.

Students with Disabilities Act:

  The Dean of Students Office coordinates the needed accommodations of
students with disabilities. This includes the registration of disabilities,
academic accommodations within the classroom, accessing special adaptive
computer equipment, providing interpretation services, and mediating faculty-
student disability related issues.
 Dean of Students Office, 202 Peabody Hall, 392-7066, [Link].
LECTURE OUTLINE

Discussion
File Name Leader for
Week Date Topic for Lecture Paper
1M 1 January 7 Class Introduction
2T 1 January 8 Classification and Lecture 1 Juan Jose
Importance of Ruminant
Animals
3W 1 January 9 Anatomy of the Ruminant Lecture 2 Cristina
Digestive Tract
4F 1 January 11 Anatomy of the Ruminant Lecture 3 Megan
Digestive Tract

5M 2 January 14 Anatomy of the Ruminant Lecture 4 Michelle

Digestive Tract
6T 2 January 15 Anatomy of the Ruminant Lecture 5 Juan Jose
Digestive Tract
7W 2 January 16 Video - Anatomy of the
Ruminant Digestive Tract ------- No paper

8F 2 January 18 Growth and Development Lecture 6 Cristina

of the Ruminant Digestive
Tract

9M 3 January 21 No Class – Martin Luther ------- No paper

King, Jr. Day
10 T 3 January 22 Growth and Development Lecture 7 Cristina
of the Ruminant Digestive
Tract
11W 3 January 23 Ingestion, Mastication, Lecture 8 Michelle
Saliva Production

12 F 3 January 25 Ingestion, Mastication, Lecture 9 Megan

Saliva Production

13 M 4 January 28 Rumen Motility and Lecture 10 Juan Jose

 Passage
14 T 4 January 29 Rumen Motility and Lecture 11 Davi
Passage
15 W 4 January 30 Rumen Motility and Lecture 12 Michelle
Passage
16 F 4 February 1 Test 1 (Lectures 1 – 12) ----- No paper
Discussion
File Name Leader for
Week Date Topic for Lecture Paper
17 M 5 February 4 Microbiology of the Lecture 13
Rumen
18 T 5 February 5 Microbiology of the Lecture 14
Rumen
19 W 5 February 6 Microbiology of the Lecture 15
Rumen
20 F 5 February 8 Microbiology of the Lecture 16
Rumen

21 M 6 February 11 Microbiology of the Lecture 17

Rumen
22 T 6 February 12 Rumen Fermentation Lecture 18
23 W 6 February 13 Rumen Fermentation Lecture 19
24 F 6 February 15 Rumen Fermentation Lecture 20

25 M 7 February 18 Rumen Fermentation Lecture 21

26 T 7 February 19 Rumen Fermentation Lecture 22
27 W 7 February 20 Digestion and Absorption Lecture 23
28 F 7 February 22 Digestion and Absorption Lecture 24

29 M 8 February 25 Digestion and Absorption Lecture 25

8 February 25 - Night session to discuss digestibility calculations
30 T 8 February 26 Digestion and Absorption Lecture 26
8 February 26 - Night session to discuss digestibility calculations
31 W 8 February 27 Digestion and Absorption Lecture 27
32 F 8 February 29 Test 2 (Lectures 13 - 27) ----- No paper

33 M 9 March 3 Carbohydrate Digestion Lecture 28

34 T 9 March 4 Carbohydrate Digestion Lecture 29
35 W 9 March 5 Carbohydrate Digestion Lecture 30
36 F 9 March 7 Carbohydrate Digestion Lecture 31
 Discussion
File Name Leader for
Week Date Topic for Lecture Paper
- 10 March 10 No Class – Spring Break ---- ----
- 10 March 11 No Class – Spring Break ---- ----
- 10 March 12 No Class – Spring Break ---- ----
- 10 March 14 No Class – Spring Break ---- ----

37 M 11 March 17 Carbohydrate Digestion Lecture 32

38 T 11 March 18 Energy Metabolism Lecture 33
39 W 11 March 19 Energy Metabolism Lecture 34
40 F 11 March 21 Energy Metabolism Lecture 35

41 M 12 March 24 Energy Metabolism Lecture 36

42 T 12 March 25 Protein Metabolism Lecture 37 No Paper
43 W 12 March 26 Protein Metabolism Lecture 38
44 F 12 March 28 Protein Metabolism Lecture 39

45 M 13 March 31 Protein Metabolism Lecture 40

46 T 13 April 1 Protein & Energy Lecture 41
Interactions - Synchrony
47 W 13 April 2 Protein & Energy Lecture 42
Interactions – Microbial
Efficiency
13 April 2 Night session to discuss microbial efficiency
calculations
48 F 13 April 4 Test 3 (Lecture 28 – 42) ----- No paper

49 M 14 April 7 Lipid Metabolism Lecture 43

50 T 14 April 8 Lipid Metabolism Lecture 44
51 W 14 April 9 Lipid Metabolism Lecture 45
52 F 14 April 11 Vitamins & Minerals Lecture 46

53 M 15 April 14 Vitamins & Minerals Lecture 47

54 T 15 April 15 Ruminal and Metabolic Lecture 48
Disorders
55 W 15 April 16 Ruminal and Metabolic Lecture 49
Disorders
Week Date Topic File Name Discussion
 for Lecture Leader for
Paper
56 F 15 April 18 NRC Lecture 50
57 M 16 April 21 NRC Lecture 51
58 T 16 April 22 NRC Lecture 52
59 W 16 April 23 NRC Lecture 53

17 April 30 Final Exam 5:30 – 7:30

PM