The contribution of animal products to human requirements

These figures demonstrate that although human beings tend to be concerned with their nutrient intakes, their domestic animals have relatively greater needs for nutrients, especially if they are to grow or produce rapidly. 

After comparing the nutrient requirements of man with those of domestic animals, we must now assess the quantities of nutrients supplied by the latter species to human diets. The contribution of animal products to world food supphes is summarised in Table 25.3. In total, animal products provide about one-sixth of energy supplies and one-third of protein supplies meat is the major contributor, followed by milk and milk products. The figures for individual countries differ considerably from the world averages (Table 25.4). Thus, in North America and most European countries, meat consumption is 30-40 times greater than in the coimtries of Africa and the Indian subcontinent, although for India the discrepancy for milk consumption is not as great. 

When the figures in Tables 25.3 and 25.4 are translated into nutrient intakes for individual countries, they show that there are substantial departoes from the world averages of about 2.0 MJ of energy and 29 g of protein per person per day (Table 25.5). In the developed coimtries of Europe and North America, and also in pastoral countries (Austraha and Argentina), animal products supply about 4 MJ of energy per day, or about one-third of total energy intake. Their contribution of protein is about 70 g per day. 

Meat and Milk and Animal Total Total animaP 

The main factor determining the intake of animal products is the wealth of the human population, but this factor is modulated by additional factors, especially the 

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