VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

FATS

• Fats are the important nutrients in case of wild fauna like the domestic animals. They provide the fat soluble vitamins like A,D,E and K.
• In addition, the fat materials provide some satiety value to the concerned wild animal species in addition to the provisions of the palatability to the feed.
• Provision of optimal amounts of fat is a must for the wild animal species. Fat provides the most concentrated forms of stored energy and fat reserves in fact help a lot for the provision of energy during the adverse climatic extremes.
• For example phocids like elephant seal may spend a considerable time in land without any access to food while suckling the pups. In such occasions, fat is the major nutrient factor that helps the survival of the concerned species.
• Similarly, in case of hibernating animals like bears in cool regions it is the fat that gets accumulated often and is useful as an energy resource in winter months.