Farm Animal Metabolism and Nutrition (PDF)

A dietary supply of essential organic nitrogenous substances is required for animal growth and maintenance. This concept was recognized 2 centuries ago and has contributed to the development of many areas of nutritional research: protein/amino acid requirements; growth studies (factorial/nitrogen balance methods); protein metabolism, including protein biosynthesis and degradation; protein-energy relationships; carbohydrate metabolism; rumen fermentation; restricted diets; energy metabolism in mammals (gluconeogenesis), and more recently, the development of new analytical techniques such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

During the second half of the 20th century, metabolic differences were identified among different farm animals and, consequently, much nutrition research was carried out with them to improve production efficiency and product quality. At the same time, research was undertaken with the aim of better understanding protein metabolism and utilization in these species to identify micronutrient deficiencies.

Today, farm animals play a pivotal role in the food industry and are useful models for human diseases related to disturbances of energy and protein metabolism such as obesity and atherosclerosis. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to support scientific work on animal physiology and nutrition to increase the production of high quality meat and dairy products in a sustainable way and to develop new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for nutritional diseases. Manuscripts involving dairy and beef cattle, pigs, poultry, horses, sheep, rabbits, or other farm/domestic/exotic species that serve mankind are considered for publication. Research in the areas of animal nutrient metabolism and nutrition, ruminant, forage and feed science, physiology and reproduction, welfare and behavior, genetics, extension and teaching, agribusiness, and food science are particularly encouraged.