Define animal nutrition and explain its steps.

Animal nutrition is the process by which animals obtain food and utilize it for energy, growth, repair, and maintenance of the body.

The process of animal nutrition involves five main steps:

Ingestion is the intake of food into the body through the mouth.

Digestion is the breakdown of complex food substances into simpler, soluble forms with the help of enzymes.

Absorption is the process by which digested nutrients pass into the bloodstream through the walls of the intestine.

Assimilation involves the utilization of absorbed nutrients by the body cells for energy, growth, and repair.

Egestion is the removal of undigested and waste materials from the body.

These steps together ensure that animals efficiently utilize food to sustain life and carry out essential biological functions.