Basic dairy and beef nutrition principles for the new graduate

Abstract

Ruminant nutrition is often considered a difficult and complex subject in the minds of veterinary students. This may be due to the lack of nutritional training in veterinary colleges, the lack of exposure to agriculture, or because nutrition is considered a separate career practiced by a nutritionist. Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. The purpose of the nutritional program is to provide safe feed that meets the cow’s nutritional require­ments. Veterinarians have an intricate knowledge of ruminant health and a well-developed problem-solving skillset. These at­tributes make the veterinarian highly capable of consulting with clients regarding nutritional concepts. The goal of this session is to demonstrate to aspiring veterinarians that nutrition is simple in concept and can be easily implemented in clinical practice.