animal physiology summary.docx

- **Nutrition**: Process of obtaining and using food; autotrophic vs. heterotrophic. - **Digestion**: Breakdown of food via mechanical and chemical processes. - **Teeth**: Incisors, canines, premolars, molars; functions in cutting, tearing, grinding. - **Saliva**: Contains enz...

- **Nutrition**: Process of obtaining and using food; autotrophic vs. heterotrophic. - **Digestion**: Breakdown of food via mechanical and chemical processes. - **Teeth**: Incisors, canines, premolars, molars; functions in cutting, tearing, grinding. - **Saliva**: Contains enzymes (amylase, lipase), aids in lubrication and starch digestion. - **Ruminant Animals**: Have four stomach compartments: rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum. - **Rumen**: Largest compartment, anaerobic, ferments food, produces volatile fatty acids (VFAs). - **Reticulum**: Honeycomb structure, aids in rumination (cud chewing). - **Omasum**: Absorbs water and minerals. - **Abomasum**: True stomach, acidic pH, digestive enzymes. - **Digestion in Young Ruminants**: Similar process with adaptations for growth. - **Small Intestine**: Duodenum receives bile and pancreatic juice; jejunum and ileum absorb nutrients. - **Large Intestine**: Includes caecum and colon for water absorption and vitamin production. - **Monogastric Animals**: Single stomach system; simpler digestion without fermentation. - **Diet**: Ruminants primarily eat plant material; monogastrics have varied diets. - **Dentition**: Ruminants have complex teeth; monogastrics have simpler teeth. - **Comparison**: Ruminants use saliva to aid in fermentation; monogastrics have simpler saliva. - **Nutrient Absorption**: Both absorb nutrients in the small intestine; ruminants also digest cellulose. - **Function of Microorganisms**: Aid in fermentation in ruminants; absent in monogastrics. - **Health Considerations**: Ruminants can suffer from bloat; monogastrics require balanced diets. - **Economic Importance**: Understanding digestive systems crucial for efficient animal production.