Analysis of the Nutritional Role of Fat in Raccoon Dog Feed

In feed composition analysis, all substances that can be extracted with ether are collectively called crude fat, which includes fats, glycerol, and lipoid compounds.

Fat is an essential component of the body. For example, the mitochondria and Golgi apparatus in germ cells are mainly composed of phospholipids, nervous tissue contains large amounts of lecithin and cephalin, and blood contains various fats. The skin and fur contain large amounts of neutral fats, phospholipids, cholesterol, and waxes.

Fat is the main source of heat energy for the animal body and also the best form of energy storage. When 1 gram of fat is completely oxidized in the body, it can produce about 39 kilojoules (9.3 kilocalories) of heat. This is 2.25 times higher than carbohydrates. Fat is also a good solvent for vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and other vitamins, and the absorption and transport of these vitamins all depend on fat.

Fatty acids are important components of fat. They can be divided into two major categories: saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are chemically relatively stable, and the fats they form have high melting points and low iodine values. They are not easily oxidized and are solid at room temperature. The higher the content of unsaturated fat, the more chemically unstable it is; the higher the content in fat, the higher the melting point of the fat and the more easily it oxidizes and deteriorates.

Unsaturated fatty acids that are essential for the life activities of the animal body but cannot be synthesized in large amounts within the body and must be obtained from feed are called essential fatty acids. In fur-bearing animal feed, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid are essential fatty acids. Practice has shown that during the breeding period, attention must be paid not only to protein in the diet but also to fat; essential fatty acids are just as important as essential amino acids.

Fat is highly prone to oxidative rancidity, and rancid fat is very harmful to the raccoon dog's body. The oxidative rancidity of fat is a chemical reaction process that occurs during storage. It is characterized by the fat's color turning noticeably more yellow than normal, becoming bitter, and developing a peculiar odor. Rancid fat and its decomposition products are very harmful to the health of raccoon dogs. Because they act directly on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, they cause inflammation of the entire small intestine, resulting in severe digestive disorders. The decomposition products of rancid fat destroy various microorganisms in the feed, causing young raccoon dogs to lose appetite. Growth and development become slow or stop, skin health is severely damaged, and abscesses or rashes appear. The quality of the fur is reduced. Raccoon dogs are especially more sensitive to rancid fat during the gestation period, which can cause stillbirths, rotting fetuses, the birth of weak cubs, and insufficient milk in mother raccoon dogs and other adverse consequences. Therefore, during feed storage, special attention must be paid to preventing the oxidative spoilage of fat.