Animal Growth and Development

Purpose: The lesson is designed to teach students the processes and periods of growth.

Objectives:
Upon completion of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1) describe the prenatal and postnatal growth
2) describe late and early maturing growth patterns
3) explain how bone, muscle and fat tissue is important to animal production

TEKS/TAKS:
TEKS: 119.13(c)(4)(A)
TAKS: English 1(7)
Math 9(8.3)
Biology 2(4), 2(10)(A), 2(10)(B), 3(9)

Focus and Interest Approach:

Why is it important to understand livestock growth and development?
1) When formulating a ration
2) When feeding the animal
3) Selecting the animal
4) When to sell the animal
5) Planning for livestock shows

Lesson Content:
Tissue is many cells together that serve a function. The carcass of an animal is comprised

of three types of tissue: bone, muscle, and fat. Bone tissue is 50% organic matter, and 50%

minerals. Bones grow at their ends which are made of cartilage. When the cartilage has

hardened, the bones can not grow longer. The bone can still grow wider and repairs them.

Muscle cells are made of one cell that divides many times, and then fuses itself together. Bone is

important to livestock production because it is the frame that muscle is built on.

The number of muscle cells is fixed and cannot increase of decrease in number. Muscle

size is caused by enlarging the actual cells, not the number of cells. Muscle is important to

livestock production because it is what we eat.

 Fat tissue is comprised of fat cells and connective tissue. Fat cells increase and decrease

in size depending on the animal’s nutrition level. White fat cells are used to store energy, and

brown fat cells maintain body temperature. Fat is important to livestock production because fat

adds flavor and palatability. It is also an indicator of animal nutrition in livestock.

Growth occurs during two periods: prenatal and postnatal. During prenatal growth, cells

begin dividing after fertilization. Along with dividing, they begin differentiating.

Differentiating is when the cells take on a certain shape and function. Three layers of cells form:

the ectoderm (outer layer), the mesoderm (middle layer), and the endoderm (inner layer). The

ectoderm forms the brain and nervous system. The mesoderm forms the cardio-vascular system,

voluntary muscles, bone, and connective tissue. The endoderm develops into the digestive

system.

During postnatal growth, the animal grows in size. This occurs in to stages. The first

stage is from birth to ½ the animal’s mature size. During this period, the animal grows fast and

efficiently. During the second growth period, growth is slowed. This usually occurs around

puberty. The tissues slowly grow until they reach maturity. The skeleton system of the animal

grows rapidly after birth. When the bones have begun to mature, the muscles of the animal

begin to grow. Finally, after the muscle growth, the animal begins to deposit fat.

Late maturing animals take a longer time to reach their maximum size. This delays the

on set of puberty. Their bones grow for a longer period of time. Because of this, it takes longer

for the animal to reach their mature size. It also takes more time for the animal to deposit fat.

Early maturing animals do not take as long to reach maturity. They enter puberty earlier, and put

on muscle and fat at a younger age.

Guided Practice:
Have the students write down three things that they felt were important to the lesson. Discuss
their ideas with them. Be sure to include prenatal growth is more developmental growth. Post
natal growth is more size growth. Late maturing animals grow to a larger size, take longer to
mature, deposit fat latter, and enter puberty at an older age. Early maturing animals do not grow
as large, mature faster, deposit fat earlier, and enter puberty at a younger age. Also include bone
is needed for structure, muscle is what we eat, and fat adds flavor and palpability.

Independent Practice:
Quiz
1) The animal’s organs develop during _________________ growth.
2) The animal’s size develops during __________________ growth.
3) ______________ maturing animals enter puberty younger, and deposit fat sooner than
______________ maturing animals.
4) The carcass of an animal is comprised of three tissues which are _____________,
____________, _____________.

References:
IMS 8391
Stockman’s Handbook by RM Ensminger