There are a number of different essential components necessary for complete nutrition, and these are known as nutrients. Among the major classes of nutrients are water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Carbohydrates, fats and to a lesser extent protein, are nutrient components that provide energy for the animal to use in various life processes. Energy is often considered to be a nutritional component of food, but it is a product of several components.
The nutritional requirements of different animal species may be quite different. Not only may the chemical composition of the diets be different, the physical form of the feed and the design of the equipment used to present the feed to the animals may be different. Also, the feed must be palatable, it must taste good, and be acceptable to the animal. For these reasons, the animal care staff must feed the proper diet and to do this, they should:
- Know what diets and in what amounts are to be fed to which animals.
- Ensure that the feed presented is palatable and acceptable to the animals.
- Understand the proper way to present the feed to the animals.