Download Digestive Terminology A. Digestion- the process of breaking feed

Digestive Terminology
A. Digestion- the process of breaking feed down into simple substances that can be
absorbed by the body.
B. Digestive System- the parts of the body involved in chewing and digesting feed.
C. Absorption- the process of taking digested parts of feed into the bloodstream.
D. Ruminants- animal that have a stomach that is divided into several parts.
1. Cattle, goats and sheep are examples of ruminant animals.
2. Ruminant animals can digest larger amounts of roughage material
compared to nonruminants.
3. Ruminants do not chew their food completely. Some food is swallowed
and then rechewed later through a process known as “chewing the cud.”
This process is also called rumination.
E. Nonruminant- animals that have a monogastric or single compartment stomach.
1. Horses, pigs, dogs, cats, and poultry are examples of monogastric
animals.
2. Non-ruminants cannot eat and digest as much roughage as ruminants.
Ruminant Digestion
A. Mouth
1. Function: Bites and chews food. Breaks food into smaller particles. Saliva
present in mouth contains enzymes which speed up the digestive process.
2. Description: Beginning of digestive tract. Includes teeth and tongue.
B. Esophagus
1. Function: Guides food from mouth to stomach with involuntary muscular
contractions.
2. Description: pinkish grey colored muscular tube next to trachea. Guides
food from mouth to the stomach.
C. Rumen
1. Function: Bacteria change large amounts of roughages into amino acids.
2. Description: Large white/grey colored sac on the left side of the animal.
Largest section of the stomach. Interior lining resembles carpet. The
rumen and reticulum make up 85% of stomach capacity.
D. Reticulum
1. Function: Take in liquids that soak food for microbial digestion.
2. Description: White/grey colored sac connected to the rumen on the left
side of the animal. Interior lining resembles a honeycomb pattern.
E. Omasum
1. Function: Contains papillae responsible for grinding roughage.
2. Description: Round, muscular part of stomach with many layers of tissue
that squeezes feed and removes some liquid.
F. Abomasum
1. Function: Enzymes and gastric juices act on feed. The abomasums is the
only functional portion of the ruminant’s stomach when animals are born.
2. Description: Elongated sac at the base of the stomach. Interior lining is
the smoothest of all stomach parts.
G. Small Intestine
1. Function: Partially digested feed is mixed with bile, pancreatic juice and
intestinal juice. Most food nutrients are absorbed from the villi (small
hairlike projections) in the small intestine.
2. Description: Long coiled tube.
H. Cecum
1. Function: Serves little to no function for most animals. Horses and rabbits
and guinea pigs have an enlarged cecum that uses microbial action to
break down roughages.
2. Description: A blind pouch located between small and large intestine.
I. Large Intestine
1. Function: Absorbs water and adds mucus to the undigested feed to form
feces.
2. Description: Coiled tube shorter in length, but larger in diameter than the
small intestine.
J. Anus
1. Function: Excrete waste.
2. Description: End of digestive tract.
Nonruminant Digestive System Parts and Functions
A. Mouth
1. Function: Bites and chews food. Breaks food into smaller particles. Saliva
present in mouth contains enzymes which speed up the digestive process.
2. Description: Beginning of digestive tract. Includes teeth and tongue.
B. Esophagus
1. Function: Guides food from mouth to stomach with involuntary muscular
contractions.
2. Description: Pinkish grey colored muscular tube next to trachea. Guides
food from mouth to the stomach.
C. Stomach
1. Function: Enzymes act on feed, churns, and mixes feed.
2. Description: A “U” shaped pinkish/white colored sac connected to the
esophagus.
D. Small Intestine
1. Function: Partially digested feed is mixed with bile, pancreatic juice and
intestinal juice. Most food nutrients are absorbed from the villi (small
hairlike projections) in the small intestine.
2. Description: Long coiled tube.
E. Cecum
1. Function: Serves little to no function for most animals. Horses, rabbits and
guinea pigs have an enlarged cecum that uses microbial action to break
down roughages.
2. Description: A blind pouch located between small and large intestine.
F. Large Intestine
1. Function: Absorbs water and adds mucus to the undigested feed to form
feces.
2. Description: Coiled tube shorter in length, but larger in diameter than the
small intestine.
G. Anus
1. Function: Excrete waste.
2. Description: End of digestive tract.
Ruminant and Nonruminant Digestive System Accessory Organs
A. Liver
1. Function: Produces bile that acts on fats.
2. Description: Dark brown structure made of several lobes. Largest gland in
the body, located under the stomach.
B. Pancreas
1. Function: Produces digestive enzymes.
2. Description: Elongated reddish colored organ that lies against the
stomach.
C. Gall Bladder
1. Function: Produces bile that aids in digestive process.
2. Description: Sac like structure filled with greenish fluid. Located on the
liver.
Poultry Digestive System Parts and Functions
A. Mouth
1. Function: Pecks and takes in feed. Poultry do not have teeth.
2. Description: Yellow pointed structure.
B. Esophagus
1. Function: Guides food from beak to crop.
2. Description: Muscular tube shaped structure.
C. Crop
1. Function: Stores and softens feed from saliva secretions.
2. Description: Oval sac-like structure between esophagus and
proventriculus.
D. Proventriculus
1. Function: True stomach of chicken, but serves no true function.
2. Description: A wider section of the digestive system compared to
esophagus.
E. Gizzard
1. Function: Feed is crushed and mixed with digestive juices. Contains grit
and gravel to assist in crushing feed particles.
2. Description: Oval shaped muscular that is purplish in color. Located
between the proventriculus and small intestine.
F. Liver
1. Function: Accessory organ that produces bile that acts on fats.
2. Description: Dark red colored organ made up of several lobes.
G. Small Intestine
1. Function: Mixes juices, most food nutrient absorption occurs in small
intestine.
2. Description: Long tube like structure.
H. Ceca
1. Function: Contain soft, undigested feed, but function is unknown.
2. Description: Unlike other animals, poultry have two ceca. Located
between small and large intestine and are “blind” pouches, each are
approximately 7 inches in length.
I. Large Intestine
1. Function: Absorbs water and adds mucus to undigested feed, which
becomes feces.
2. Description: Tube-like structure large in diameter when compared to small
intestine. Filled with digested feed.
J. Cloaca
1. Function: Digestive and reproductive tracts combine and prepare for
excretion of waste or eggs.
2. Description: Enlarged part of digestive tract located just before the vent.
K. Vent
1. Function: Excrete solid (feces) and liquid (urine) waste.
2. Description: External opening and the end of the digestive tract.