Animals need food for two reasons – to produce energy; and to build new cells and grow, reproduce, repair injury, and produce milk or eggs.
Animals normally use carbohydrates and fats as “fuels”, although proteins can also be used for this purpose in times of starvation or excess. As far as growth is concerned, the essentials are proteins and minerals (calcium and phosphorus for bones and teeth, iron in the blood, sulphur in some amino acids). Continue Reading »