Basic Animal Digestive Anatomy and Physiology

General Classification of Animal Digestive Tract and System based in their anatomy:
1. Non-Ruminant Digestive System
a. Monogastric digestive system (simple-stomach, non-functional cecum)
Ex: dogs, cats, pig, catfish
b. Functional Cecum (non-ruminant herbivore)
Ex: horse, rabbit
2. Ruminant Digestive System (complex stomach)
Ex: cattle, goat, buffalo, camel, sheep
3. Avian Digestive System
Ex: chicken, turkey, duck

Classification of animals according to their primary type of feed and their feeding behavior
1. Carnivores or flesh/meat eaters
-usually have short and simple GIT
-feed mainly on meant and entrails of other species
-dogs, cats, tigers, etc
2. Herbivores or vegetarians/plant eaters
-feed entirely on plant materials which are not readily digestible
-have evolve anatomical adaptations to utilize fibrous feeds more efficiently
-GIT are usually long, large, with complex and modified parts
-cattle, horse, goat, sheep
3. Omnivores or flesh/meat eaters and plant eaters
-have GIT intermediate of those of carnivores and herbivores anatomically and efficiency in the utilization of fibrous
plant parts
-pig, man
4. Granivores or Grain Feeders
-large proportion of their feeds consist of plant seeds or grains/cereals. Having energy contents
-no teeth
-have unique specialized GIT to efficiently digest grains
-birds

Depending upon the location (within the GIT) of these specialized sites of microbial fermenters, many animal species can
be grouped as either:
1. Foregut Fermenters (Pregastric)
-predominant site of microbial fermentation preceding the stomach (gastric pouch) and small intestine
2. Hindgut Fermenters
-predominant site of microbial fermentation following the small intestine
3. Carnivores (Monogastric, non-functional cecum)
-do not rely upon plant tissues as a significant source of nutrients
-have no major specialized site of microbial fermentation in their digestive tracts
-some microbial fermentation does not occur, however, in the colon (large intestine)
-ex: dog
4. Granivores (Grain feeders, Avian digestive system)
-esophagus of many birds has a specialized region, allowing the accumulation of food called crop, which leads to
proventriculus (site of gastric secretion, true stomach), which is anterior to the ventriculus (gizzard, a muscular organ)
-proventriculus and ventriculus are collectively analogous to the human stomach
-some birds (chicken and goose) have two ceca rather than a single cecum as is common in many mammals
-cloaca serves as a site for the mixing of urine and feces to their excretion (oviduct of female birds also terminate in
the cloaca)
5. Non-ruminant Omnivores (Monogastric, non-functional cecum)
-hindgut fermenters
-rabbit, pig
6. Non-ruminant Herbivores (functional cecum)
-hindgut fermenters
-rabbit, pony, zebra, horse
7. Non-ruminant Herbivores (hindgut fermenters)
-african elephants, rhinoceros
8. Ruminant Herbivores (Pregastric, foregut fermenters)
-have evolved specialized structures of the esophagus to support a quite extensive pregastric microbial fermentation
process
-ingesta pass from the esophagus into a region called as the reticulorum (also referred to as ruminoreticulum or
separately as the reticulum and the rumen)
-from the rumen, digesta passes into the omasum, and then into abomasum (ruminants true stomach)
-in suckling ruminants (young consuming predominantly milk), a specialized fold of the reticulorumen (referred to as
the esophageal groove or reticular groove) allow for milk to pass directly from the esophagus through the omasum
into the abomasum
-esophageal groove permits young ruminants to efficiently digest and utilize milk with undergoing fermentation in the
reticulorumen
-hindgut fermentation (in the cecum and colon) also occurs in ruminants
9. Other Foregut Fermenters
-kangaroo

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
General Types of Digestive System
1. Simple monogastric system
*food class: omnivore: man, monkey, pig, dog, poultry
2. Polygastric system (ruminant)
*herbivores: cow, sheep, goat
3. Monogastric functional cecum system (pseudo-ruminant)
*herbivores: horse, rabbit, guinea pig
8omnivores: hamster, rat, mouse

Digestive System
-horse and rabbit (herbivore): stomach is relatively simple comparable with that of carnivores but with large intestine,
especially the cecum which is large and complex than that of carnivores
-cow, sheep, and goat: stomach (polygastric) is large and complex, whereas large intestine is long but less functional
-man: has physical limit to the quality of food although there us a prompt passage of many food into the intestine
-dog (carnivore): also has a very small digestive system, although it is little per unit of body weight than that of man
-pig (omnivore): possess a large digestive capacity per unit of body weight than either dog or man but has a limited
capacity. Digestive system is better adapted to the use of concentrated feeds, although limited amount of forages can be
included in the ration.
-horse (herbivore): possess a much larger digestive system than pigs; able to utilize large amount of roughages in its ration
because of a great large cecum, considered a monogastric animal
-cattle and sheep (herbivore): have greatly enlarged digestive tracts designed to process bulky feed; digestive system
provides space for processing large quantities of bulky forages necessary to provide energy and nutrients to sustain
maintenance and high levels of production
I. Alimentary Tract (alimentary canal)
-coiled tube that extends from the lips (mouth to the anus)
-short and simple in carnivores
-much longer and complex in herbivores
Principal parts: mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
A. Mouth
-organ of prehension (manner by which animals take in feeds into their mouth) and mastication
*horse: feed is grasped by the means of its mobile upper lip. The incisors cut the feed which is carried backward by
the tongue for mastication. Upper lip is the chief prehensile organ
*carabao and ox: protrude their long and rough tongue out to lead the forage into the mouth where it is cut between
the upper pad and incisor below. Tongue is the main prehensile organ
*goat: having pointed lips have mouth adaptable for selective grazing or browsing (select only the fodders it wants).
leaves a “spottily graze” pastures. Incisors and tongue are the main prehensile organs.
*pig: digs the feeds with its snout and takes in the feed by suction. Pointed lower lip, teeth, and tongue are the
prehensile organs
*chicken: pecks its feed with its pair of beaks (main prehensile organ)

Mastication
-mechanical grinding of the feed in the mouth
-done within aid of the teeth
-thorough in the horse and swine. Feed is reduced to fine particles and moistened with saliva to facilitate swallowing
Importance:
-reduce food particle size, resulting in a greater surface area for the digestive juices to act upon
-mixing the food with saliva to facilitate swallowing
-facilitate digestion
***amylase digest starch to maltose and dextrin
Deglutition
-act of swallowing
-accomplished by the tongue carrying the feed to the rear of the mouth after mastication and mixing it with the saliva
-feed passes swiftly through the pharynx into the esophagus through which it passes to the stomach by peristalsis

B. Pharynx
-common passageway for air and feed
C. Esophagus
-muscular tube that serves as the passageways of feed from the pharynx to the stomach
D. Stomach
 Monogastric animals: divided into 4 regions
1. Esophageal region
-extensive in horse
-narrow in pig
-without glands
2. Cardiac region
-large in pig
-produces mucus
3. Fundus gland
-secretes HCI and enzyme
4. Pyloric region
-secretes enzymes only
 The ruminant stomach: divided into 4 compartments
1. Rumen (paunch)
-large muscular compartment which fills the left side of the body cavity
-no enzyme secreted
-covered by projection called papillae
Functions
a. provide favorable environment for protozoa and bacteria (1ml of frumen fluid = 25-50 billion)
Bacteria produce:
o enzymes that breakdown fibers as well as starch and protein (starch yields VFA – propionic, butyric
and acetic acids and some energy)
o water soluble vitamin B (except vitamin b12) and vitamin k
o synthesis of amino acids and proteins
b. favorable conditions which are provided in the rumen
-anaerobic environment
-constant warm temperature
-moisture
-constant food supply
-mixing
-removal or toxic end products
c. acts as storage soaking, and physical mixing and breakdown
-rumen communicates freely with the reticulum over the rumino-reticular fold
-from the cardia to the reticulo-omasal orifice extends the esophagael or reticular groove (in the presence
of milk or liquid, it closely by reflex closure :diminishes with age: to channel the liquid to the reticulo-
omasal orifice). Closure reflex is also produced by copper sulfate and sodium salts which is important for
anthelminthics administration.
-non-glandular and with papilla for the absorption of VFA
2. Reticulum
-lies against the diaphragm and liver
-small, flask like
-communicates freely with the rumen through the rumini-reticular fold and with the omasum through the
reticulo-omasal orifice
-mucous membrane is non-glandular and have fold that resemble a honey comb
Functions:
a. move food into the rumen or omasum
b. collection of dense particles of food and in regurgitation of ingesta during rumination
3. Omasum
-glove shaped
-communicate with the abomasum through the omaso-abomasal orifice
-mucous membrane has numerous fold called many plies or manyfold
-not well developed in sheep and goat
Functions
a. controlling passage of ingesta to lower tract (act as pumps)
b. reduces particle size of ingesta
c. absorption
4. Abomasum
-similar to the true stomach of non-ruminant
-true or gastric stomach
-divided into fundus and pylorus region and similar to monogastric stomach
Additional unique features of the ruminant digestive system:
1) Esophageal groove
-begins at the base of the esophagus
Stimulated by suckling, forms a tube which empties into the abomasum
Functions: direct milk obtains from suckling to escape microbial digestion in rumen
2) Rumination
-proves of movement of ingesta back up the esophagus to the mouth for additional breakdown
-chewing the cud
-can be described as controlled vomiting
-a controlled set of contraction of the esophagus, reticulum, and rumen allow ingesta to be regurgitated back up to the
esophagus where fluids are swallowed again and additional remastication and reswallowing of solid occurs
3) Eructation
-belching of gas
-allows for removal of large volume of gas produced in rumen

Rumination
-ruminant masticates the feed partially after prehension
-feeds from boluses on the rumen after ingestion are masticated thoroughly
-roughages give rise to form oval boluses
-curded hay usually float on liquid in rumen bc of low moisture but later lose their identity due to prolong mastication
-boluses of concentrates are heavier than those of roughages
-full fed animals have little or no free liquid on the rumen
-fasted animals have much free liquid in the rumen
Phases of Rumination:
a. Regurgitation
-flowing of the bolus feed from the rumen to the mouth
-reverse peristalsis
b. Remastication
-thorough mastication and maceration of the feed in the mouth
c. Re-insalivation
-thorough mixing of saliva with the fees for fermentation
d. Re-swallowing
-thorough masticated feed is reswallowed for fermentation in the rumen
Avian stomach
a. Proventriculus – true stomach, production of pepsin and HCI
b. Ventriculus (gizzard) – muscular area that contain grit

E. Small intestine
-divided into 3 segment
a. Duodenum
b. Jejunum
c. Ileum
-site of further digestion and absorption of certain production of the stomach digestion
F. Large intestine
-site of water absorption, storage of waste materials, and bacterial of fibers
*carnivores: little need of it, digestion is completed in small intestine, main functions are to return water to the blood
and acts as a reservoir for the waste materials; colon is relatively short and non-sacculated; cecum a blind pouch at the
junction of the SI and LI is poorly developed; intestinal gland secretes only mucus; no villi
*omnivores: environment allows bacteria to multiply
*horse: large cecum
*chicken: has twoceca; terminal opening is called cloaca
Terminal segment is rectum with opening called anus (mammals)
Ruminant Digestive System
1. Rumen
-vital organ in the feeding of ruminants
-reason why ruminant can consume, and digest roughages and food cannot be utilized by man or other animals
-largest compartment of the stomach
-lined with stratified squamous epithelium and mucosa is well vascularized papillae
-an excellent fermentation vat by providing the microorganisms
a. anaerobic movement
b. constant temperature and pH
c. good mixing
-has a complex environment composed of bacteria, protozoa, and fungi (rumen microflora)
a. number in billion
b. basis of the fermentation process
c. work together to attack and digest consumed food
d. types of microbes
-fiber (forage) digesting bacteria
-starch (feed grain) digesting bacteria
e. play major role in the supply of nutrients to the ruminants (energy amd protein) – produced mainly from the
microbial waste products of fermentation and digestion process
f. microbes also synthesize vitamin b complexes (except vitamin b12, if pastures are deficient in cobalt) and
vitamin c
g. product forms are called volatile fatty acids (VFA) – supply 70% of ruminant energy
important VFA ; Are absorbed through rumen wall
-acetate – produced by fiber digesting bacteria
low quality means low butter fat in milk
-propionate – produced by stracj digesting bacteria
-butyrate
2. Reticulum
-honeycomb like lining
Functions:
a. also involve in rumination
b. acts as strainer (separating the solid from the liquid)
c. acts as a trap for foreign objects ingested
-not usual to find rocks, nails, pieces of wire and metal (cattle)
-wire or metals may puncture the side of the reticulum, may cause irritation of the diaphragm, lungs, or heart
known as hardware disease
3. Omasum
-known as “the ook: of many plies (many leaf-like folds)
-do not allow entry of coarse fiber particles
Functions
a. as gateway to the abomasum
b. filtering large particles back to the reticulorumen
c. allowing fine particles and fluid to be passed to the abomasum
d. also aid in water resorption and recycling of buffers for the saliva
e. may also absorb VFA
f. site for absorption of mineral and nitrogen
4. Abomasum
-true stomach
-functions much like human stomach producing pepsin to start protein digestion
Small intestine and large intestine functions the same way as other monogastric animals

Consistency of manure is an indicative of animal health and is dependent on water, fiber, and protein content of the food:
-cattle on lush spring forage will have profuse watery, greenish color manure
-on hay diets wull have manure that is dark in color
-animals should produce manure that is indicative of the diet they are receiving, if not, it may indicate a digestive upset or
disease
-manure should not smell putrid or rancid