The book covers five broad issues of livestock nutrition. Chapter one – „Physiology of Nutrition”, is related to the anatomy and functions of particular organs of the farm animals’ digestive tracts, type of nutrients found in the livestock diets, as well digestion, absorption and metabolism of these compounds. An extensive characteristics of most common used in animal nutrition feeds, their processing, feed additives as well as the mechanism of their action are presented in the second chapter – „Feed and Feed Additives”. The chapter number three – „Animal Feeding Systems in Europe” in a synthetic way explains the fundamentals of commonly used feeding systems of ruminants, pigs, poultry, horses and rabbits. This chapter also provides several schemes of daily rations/concentrate mixtures formulation for various farm animal species. An extensive chapter number four is dedicated to animal welfare as well etiology, treatment and prevention of metabolic diseases in animals that livestock breeders are struggling every day.
Last but not least, the fifth chapter raises issues related to livestock production in terms of environmental and legal conditions under the common agricultural policy of member countries. The possibilities of reducing the negative impact of livestock production on the environment, so called „good practices” are discussed in this chapter.
The book “Rational Livestock Nutrition in Rural Areas” is intended for people involved in animal production – mainly farmers but it can also be used by agricultural and nutritional consultants, zootechnical service workers. Students of vocational agricultural schools and, to some extent, students of natural and agricultural universities may benefit this book as
well.