A comparison of the
different livestock
systems
By: Kristy
Baird
•Describe the basic function of the
primary components of the digestive
system.
•Compare the function and location of the
digestive organs to those in the
monogastric, modified monogastric and
ruminant digestive systems.
•Explain the difference between and
identify diagrams of the different types
of digestive systems of various animals.
The process by which large complex nutrient
molecules are broken down into simpler
molecules capable of being used by the
organism for food.
Humans, swine, rabbits, chickens and
horses all have a simple stomach, which is
also known as a monogastric digestive
system.
Known as a
modified
monogastric
system
Parts and functions of the
monogastric avian
digestive system
•Mouth/Beak - gather and break down feed
• Esophagus - tube from mouth to stomach
that is open at the mouth end
• Crop - feed storage and moistening
• Proventriculus - glandular stomach (HCI and
gastric juices); enzymatic
• Gizzard - muscular stomach; mechanical
breakdown
Parts and functions of the
monogastric avian digestive
system
•Small continued…
Intestine - enzymatic digestion and
absorption
-Functions of the small intestine: digestion of
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats;
absorption of the end products of digestion
-Enzymes in the small intestine
• Ceca - essentially non functioning in
monogastrics
• Large Intestine
-bacterial activity
-water absorption
-waste storage
• Cloaca - common chamber for GI and urinary
Parts and functions of the
monogastric mammal
digestive system
•Mouth
-gather and chew feed using tongue and teeth
-salivary glands moisten feed to aid in swallowing
-saliva begins the carbohydrate breakdown with salivary
amylase
• Esophagus
-tube from mouth to stomach that is open at the mouth end
-separated from stomach by the esophageal sphincter
• Stomach
-muscular gland lined sac that receives ingesta from the
esophagus and conducts both physical and chemical
digestion
-primary secretions:
pepsin - enzyme that digests protein;
Parts and functions of the
monogastric mammal digestive
system continued…
•Small Intestine
-enzymatic digestion and absorption
-Functions of the small intestine: digestion of
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats;
absorption of the end products of digestion
1. duodenum - most digestion occurs
here
2. jejunum - some digestion
and some absorption occur
3. ileum - mostly absorption
-Bile - made in liver, stored in gall bladder,
active in the small intestine, emulsifies fat
to aid in digestion
Parts and functions of the
monogastric mammal digestive
system continued…
•Enzymes in the small
intestine
Parts and functions of the
monogastric mammal digestive
system continued…
•Cecum - essentially non functioning in many
monogastrics. Rabbits and horses have an
enlarged cecum that acts like a rumen and is
involved with microbial digestion
(fermentation)
• Large Intestine
-bacterial activity
-water absorption
-waste storage
Sheep, cows, and goats are examples of
animals with complex stomachs, which are
also known as ruminant digestive systems
Parts and functions of the
ruminant digestive
system
Ruminants are characterized
by having a stomach with
four compartments
Rumination - the regurgitation,
rechewing and reswallowing
of ingested food
Cud - mass of regurgitated ingesta;
bolus
Process of rumination
1. Anus 7. Reticulum
2. Rectum 8. Esophagus
1. regurgitate bolus from
3. Cecum 9. Abomasum
rumen
4. Colon [Link] 2. rechew and reinsalivate
5. Duodenu [Link] 3. reswallow
m Intestine
4. repeat with another bolus
6. Rumen
Parts and functions of the
ruminant digestive system
continued…
• Mouth
-contains dental pad, teeth, tongue and
saliva
-saliva contains no salivary amylase
• Esophagus
-tube from mouth to stomach
-tube from stomach to mouth
Parts and functions of the
ruminant digestive system
continued…
• Rumen - large fermentation vat; also called the
"paunch"
-anaerobic
-Temperature = 39oC (103oF)
-saturated with gasses
-constant motion
Lining of the rumen
Parts and functions of the
ruminant digestive system
continued…
• Functions of Microorganisms
-digest roughages to make Volatile Fatty Acids
-make protein
-make vitamins K and B complex
(Very similar to cecum of rabbit and horse)
The function of the rumen is to house
Parts and functions of the
ruminant digestive system
continued…
• Reticulum - "honeycomb"
-houses microorganisms
-catches hardware (ingested by
animal)
-houses the opening to the omasum
• Omasum - "manyplies“ or “book”
-full of folded tissue
-water absorption
• Abomasum - true stomach
-pepsin
-HCl
Parts and functions of the
ruminant digestive system
continued…
•Small Intestine
-enzymatic digestion and absorption
-Functions of the small intestine: digestion of
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats;
absorption of the end products of
digestion
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
•Cecum - some
microbial
fermentation
•Large Intestine
Pigs, Rabbits, Horses, Chickens, and Humans
have a simple stomach or a monogastric
digestive system
Cows, Sheep and Goats have a complex
stomach or a ruminant digestive system
What type of digestive system is
this?
Rumina
What type of digestive system is
this?
Avian
Monogastri
c System
(modified
monogastric)
What type of system is
this?
Monogastri
c