Raccoon Dog Feed and Nutrition, Part One: The Importance of Water
Raccoon dog feed includes animal-based, plant-based and mineral-based feeds as well as synthetically produced products. How feed is supplied and what it is composed of has a great influence on the health, reproduction and fur quality of raccoon dogs. Artificially raised raccoon dogs have no choice whatsoever when it comes to feed, so keepers must rationally formulate and supply feed according to their living habits and their nutritional needs at different biological stages. If feed supply is insufficient during any one of these stages, or if the daily ration is not nutritionally complete or is improperly formulated, it will inevitably affect production results for the entire year.
(1) Feed nutrients and their functions
To practice scientific@#@252@#@, one must understand the effects of each nutrient in the feed on raccoon dogs. Only by rationally formulating the daily ration according to the nutritional needs of raccoon dogs and the nutritional composition characteristics of each feed can one achieve the best economic benefits with the lowest feed consumption.
The nutrients contained in feed mainly include water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and inorganic salts. Their nutritional functions are described separately as follows:
Raccoon Dog Feed and Nutrition -- 1. Water
Water is an indispensable nutrient for animals. Animals are more sensitive to water deprivation than to food deprivation, and it more easily causes death.
Water is the solvent for many substances in the body. Most nutrients must be dissolved in water before they can be absorbed and utilized by the body. At the same time, the metabolic wastes produced during the animal's life activities are also only dissolved in water and excreted from the body in the form of an aqueous solution. Water can directly participate in various biochemical reactions in the body and can regulate body temperature. Water exists in various tissue cells, keeping the cells in a certain shape, hardness and elasticity. Water can lubricate tissues, reducing friction and impact between the various organs, etc. Artificial raccoon dog raising must ensure the supply of sufficient, clean drinking water.