The applied nutrition of animals is constantly evolving in order to meet their needs, depending on the physiological stage and production level, in relation to the nutrients provided by the food. Modern methods of production and preservation of various animal feeds, as well as knowledge of their chemical composition, are necessary prerequisites for the proper nutrition of animals, with the ultimate goal of ensuring their health and producing safe and high-quality products that meet the modern requirements of consumers.

This book provides a detailed description of animal feeds and the formulation of diets for various types of productive animals. It is initially aimed at students of the Veterinary School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students studying animal production science, and all those involved in the formulation of diets.

The content is divided into nine chapters. The first chapter refers to the definition and distinction of animal feeds and diets, the second chapter describes roughage feeds, the third chapter focuses on concentrated feeds, the fourth chapter discusses methods of preserving roughage feeds, the fifth chapter covers pastures and toxic plants, the sixth chapter addresses the impact of animal nutrition on the quality of animal products and functional foods, the seventh chapter deals with the preparation of animal feeds for diet formulation and the methods of formulation, the eighth chapter focuses on diet formulation for various types of animals, and the ninth chapter presents tables regarding the chemical composition of simple animal feeds.

Finally, a series of relevant bibliographic sources is provided, the detailed and systematic study of which helped in the writing of this book.

(from the book's preface)