In the field of agriculture, particularly in livestock farming, the concept of ration plays a vital role in ensuring the health, productivity, and overall well-being of farm animals. Types of ration in agricultural refers to the total amount of feed an animal receives in a day, which must contain the essential nutrients required for maintenance, growth, reproduction, and production (such as milk, eggs, or meat). Farmers and animal nutritionists carefully plan and balance these rations to meet the specific dietary needs of each type of livestock, depending on their age, purpose, and physiological condition.
Understanding the types of ration in agriculture is essential for achieving optimal animal performance, minimizing feed costs, and promoting sustainable farming practices. These rations are not randomly selected; they are designed based on scientific principles of animal nutrition and tailored to meet particular needs, such as maintenance diets, production diets, or balanced growth rations. Each type of diet serves a unique function, whether it’s for fattening animals for market, supporting lactation in dairy cows, or sustaining energy levels in work animals.
This blog post studies the various types of ration used in agriculture, categorizes them based on their functions, and explains their practical uses in animal husbandry, with clear examples to help farmers, students, and agricultural professionals understand their applications more effectively.
Table Of Contents
- Introduction
- What is diet
- What is ration
- Balanced ration
- Factors normally considered when deciding the types of ration to feed an animal.
- Types of ration
- Ration formulation
- Conclusion
- Revision questions
WHAT IS RATION
RATION: Ration is the total supply of feed given to an animal in a 24-hour period. In other words, ration is the amount of food taken by an animal daily.
A well-planned ration is essential for meeting the nutritional requirements of different classes of animals, such as those used for milk production, meat, egg-laying, or work. The composition of a ration varies depending on the animal’s age, weight, health condition, and purpose (e.g., growth, reproduction, or maintenance). It typically includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water in appropriate proportions. Providing the right ration helps to improve productivity, prevent nutritional deficiencies, and ensure overall animal health and performance on the farm.
WHAT IS DIET
DIET: Definition; A diet is defined as the amount of feeds regularly given to or consumed by animal. It is formulated to meet specific metabolic or physiological functions such as Growth, lactation, maintenance of pregnancy, reproduction, egg-laying and so on.
WHAT IS BALANCE RATION
BALANCE RATION: In animal feeds and livestock rations, a balanced ration is the food containing all essential nutrients in the correct quantity and in adequate proportion for feeding animals daily.
Components of balanced ration include carbohydrate, protein, fats and oil, minerals, vitamins and water. All this must be taken at the right proportion by animals for normal Growth, lactation, reproduction and other body activities.
FACTORS NORMALLY CONSIDERED WHEN DECIDING THE TYPES OF RATION TO FEED AN ANIMAL
- The purpose for which the animal is being kept: If an animal is to be kept for the purpose for production, such animal will require more feed while those not for production will require less feed.
- The class of animal: Animals belong to different classes and as such, their feed requirement will also vary.
- Age of the animal: Feeds are given to farm animals based on their ages, for example in poultry, the chicks (0 to 6 weeks) requires more nutrition feed (20% crude protein) than growers (6 – 18 weeks) which requires about 14% crude protein.
- Animals condition of health: The animals that are healthy tend to eat more feed while sick once consume less.
- Management System: The management system also determine the types of feed given to farm animals. Quality feed are usually given to farm animals on intensive system of management while animals on extensive system fend for themselves.
- Physiological state of the animals: Pregnant and lactating animals tend to consume more feeds than animals that are not in this conditions.
TYPES OF RATION IN AGRICULTURE
There are two types of ration: These are;
- MAINTENANCE RATION
- PRODUCTION RATION
1. Maintenance ration: This is the types of ration given to farm animals just to maintain normal functioning of the body system. In other words, maintenance ration supplies enough nutrients just to enable the animal carry on the normal body activities without losing or gaining weight. The Ration enables the animal to maintain it’s body weight but, it cannot be used for production purposes. Examples of maintenance ration include the ration given to ruminant animals like straw, hay, during dry season. Maintenance ration can be supplied to breeding animals when they are not breeding. It can also be supplied to dry or non lactating animals when they are not lactating.
2. Production Ration: This is the types of ration is given to farm animals to enable them produce. In other words, production ration supplies nutrients above what it is required for maintenance in order to make the animal capable of high production which can be in form of milk, meats, egg and Growth, etc.
Categories of farm animals that require production rations includes:
- Lactating Animals: For milk production.
- Weaning Animals: For increase production.
- Pregnant animals: For maintenance of the foetus.
- Fattening Animals: For extra addition of more meat or flesh.
- Broilers: For rapid growth.
- Layers: For egg production.
- Steaming up for flushing: For animal before mating to produce more ova/ovum.
RATION FORMULATION: Ration formulation involves the careful combination of all the food nutrient in such a way as to meet the nutritional requirement for a particular animal. When formulating ration for farm animals the following principles should be considered.
- The physiological state of the animals, whether for pregnant, dry or lactating or young animals.
- The availability of the feed stuff.
- The age of the animal.
- The composition of the nutrients.
- Palatability of the feed.
- The cost of the feeds stuff.
Careful combination of protein sources, (e.g, fishmeal, groundnut cake) FAT SOURCES (e g, palm kernel cake, oils) VITAMINS, MINERAL SOURCES (e.g, bone meal, oyster shell) CARBOHYDRATES SOURCES (e.g, Maize, guinea corn) will provide all the food nutrients to prepare a balanced diet or ration.
To prepare a Ration for layers, the following ingredients, for example are required.
- Maize meal (carbohydrates) = 65%
- Groundnut cake ( protein) = 20%
- Fish meal (protein)= 5%
- Palm oil (oil) ,= 4%
- Bone meal (mineral) 5%
- Mineral salt ( mineral) 0.5%
- Vitamins supplements (vitamins) 0.5%
Total = 100%.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the types of ration and their specific uses in agriculture is essential for effective livestock management and sustainable animal production. A properly balanced ration ensures that animals receive all the necessary nutrients required for maintenance, growth, reproduction, and production, which directly impacts their health and the farmer’s productivity. Whether it is a maintenance ration, production ration, or balanced ration, each plays a critical role in meeting the dietary needs of animals based on their function and stage of development. Farmers and livestock handlers who apply this knowledge practically are better positioned to improve animal performance, reduce feed waste, and enhance overall farm profitability
Revision Questions
- What is balance ration?
- Distinguish between maintenance and production ration.
- Write short notes on the following: maintenance ration, production ration and balance reaction.
- What is ration formulation?
- If birds at the point of lay were fed a ration (feed) containing: maize meal – 65%, groundnut cake – 25%, fish meal – 5% and brewer’s grain – 5% name the other feed ingredients that are essential which are not listed. State importance of the ingredients you have listed.