November 14, 2024

Manalastas, Angelo T.
BSAB 2-D

Subject: Animal Science 1

INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL SCIENCE

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

The Digestive System

Introduction

The maintenance of life requires that animals obtain nutrients essential for the body processes
from food. Animals can live for a period of time without food; in such a situation, the body stores
of energy and finally the tissues themselves are broken down and metabolized through
biochemical conversion. During prolonged and continued deprivation of food, however, death
finally ensues as a result of starvation.

It is generally believed that food is in the body after its acquisition and ingestion, but the
digestive tract is a hollow, tube-like structure that extends from the mouth to the anus, so
materials within its lumen are still, strictly speaking, outside the body. Therefore, the acquisition
of food must be followed by processes that divide food into smaller parts through both physical
and chemical means, so that the structural units or other simple chemical compounds can finally
enter the body by
crossing the intestinal barrier.

Objectives
The specific purpose of this laboratory exercise is to:

 Familiarize with the different parts and functions of the Digestive System
 Determine the importance of Digestive System in the animal’s overall health and
production.

Methodology
The Digestive System

Search, identify and describe the different parts and function of the Digestive System and kindly
discuss the whole digestive process of food.

Questions:

1. Determine and discuss the 4 stages of digestive system processes.

2. Identify the different types of digestive system in farm animals and describe/compare
each type.

3. What are digestive enzymes? Identify and discuss the different digestive enzyme
secretions from the digestive system?
4. What is the importance of knowing and understanding the key principles behind the
operation of the digestive system?
1.) The human digestive system, comprising a muscular tube, salivary glands, pancreas, and gall
bladder, is responsible for food ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination of undigested
materials. The process of digestion involves six activities: ingestion, propulsion, mechanical or
physical digestion, chemical digestion, absorption, and defecation. Ingestion involves entering
food into the alimentary canal through the mouth, where it is chewed and mixed with saliva.
Propulsion involves the movement of food through the digestive tract, including voluntary
swallowing and involuntary peristalsis. Peristalsis is powerful enough to mix food with digestive
juices, even if the person is standing on their head. Segmentation, mainly in the small intestine,
mixes food with digestive juices and facilitates absorption. Chemical digestion breaks down
complex food molecules into their building blocks, typically containing water, enzymes, acids,
and salts. Absorption occurs in the small intestine, where most nutrients are absorbed and
transported to the bloodstream. Defecation removes undigested materials as feces.

1. Ingestion – refers to the process of ingesting food. Food is broken down into smaller
pieces by teeth in the mouth, triggers by a nervous reflex. Saliva, a watery fluid, is
delivered to the mouth, moistening and lubricating the food with mucin. This helps in
swallowing, dissolving some food, and allowing it to be tasted. The presence of amylase,
a digestive enzyme, in saliva allows chemical digestion of starches.
2. Digestion – is a process where food is broken down into smaller components through
mechanical and chemical processes. The swallowing reflex moves food into the
oesophagus, where peristalsis waves move it to the stomach. The stomach's muscular
walls mix food with gastric juice, which is produced by cells lining the stomach.
Enzymes break down the protein in the food, resulting in a creamy paste called chyme.
The pyloric sphincter controls chyme entry into the duodenum, where bile salts and
digestive enzymes are fed. Some cells also produce a fluid called'succus entericus', which
helps lubricate the partially digested food, neutralize the acidic chyme, emulsify fats and
oils, and enzymatically digest protein, carbohydrate, and fatty acids. This process is
crucial for absorbing smaller molecules into the bloodstream.
3. Absorption – uptake of the soluble products of digestion. The small intestine, a 5-6m
long organ, is responsible for most chemical digestion. Its small intestine contains
millions of tiny villi structures, which facilitate rapid absorption of products into the
bloodstream. These structures increase the surface area of contact, allowing for efficient
transportation to the liver.
4. Egestion – is the process of removing undigested food materials from the body. The
small intestine removes digested food products, minerals, and vitamins, leaving
indigestible components like cellulose from plant-based foods. These materials are then
passed to the large intestine, where they are absorbed by the body.

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2.)
1. MONOGASTRIC DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
A monogastric digestive system, with a simple stomach, produces a low pH of 1.5 to 2.5,
which destroys most bacteria and breaks down feed materials. Animals with this
digestive system are better adapted to eat rations high in concentrates, which are highly
digestible feedstuffs high in energy and low in fiber. Common concentrates include
cereal grains and oil meals, and are found in hogs, cats, dogs, and humans.
2 AVIAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The avian system, unique to poultry, involves a unique digestive process. Poultry breaks
their feed into small pieces, which are swallowed by pecking or scratching. The feed then
enters the mouth, esophagus, and crop, where it is stored and soaked. The proventriculus,
the stomach in birds, secretes gastric enzymes and hydrochloric acid. The food moves to
the gizzard, a muscular organ that grinds the food. The food then moves to the small
intestine and large intestine, where nondigestible components travel into the cloaca and
urine is emptied. The avian system is very rapid, allowing poultry to efficiently digest
their food. This system ensures a healthy and efficient diet for poultry.

3. RUMINANT DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
The ruminant digestive system, found
in cattle, sheep, goats, and deer,
consists of a large stomach divided
into four compartments: the rumen,
the reticulum, the omasum, and the
abomasum. Ruminants eat feed
rations high in roughages and low in
concentrates, such as hay, straw,
grazed forages, and silage. They
swallow their food in large quantities
with little chewing, later ruminate, or
belch up the feed, chew, and swallow
it again. The regurgitated feed is
called a cud, which is a ball-like mass of feed brought up from the stomach to be
rechewed. The rumen, the largest section of the stomach, contains millions of bacteria
and microbes that promote fermentation, break down roughages, and synthesize amino
acids and B-complex vitamins. The reticulum, the second segment of the stomach, is a
small pouch on the side of the rumen that traps foreign materials, such as wire and nails,
as ruminants do not chew their food before swallowing.
 The rumen's number and type of microorganisms significantly impact feed conversion
and ruminant growth. The number of bacteria in the rumen is directly proportional to the
number of protozoa. Therefore, feeding a ruminant in a manner conducive to bacteria can
maximize protein utilization. For instance, feeding yeast culture to cattle can ensure a
healthy population of rumen bacteria, thereby maximizing feed conversion and
maximizing protein utilization in ruminants.

4. PSEUDO-RUMINANT DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

A pseudo-ruminant is an animal with a large intestine and a cecum that ferments forages,
allowing it to consume large amounts of roughages without a stomach. This system
functions similarly to ruminants, allowing for fiber digestion. Examples of pseudo-
ruminants include horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters, which eat forages, grains,
and other concentrated feeds

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3.) Deficits in digestive enzymes can occur due to various health conditions, particularly those
affecting the pancreas. These deficiencies can be addressed by altering diet, avoiding certain
foods, or consuming naturally occurring digestive enzymes. Prescription or OTC enzyme
supplements can also be taken to supplement the body's ability to break down nutrients.

Types of Digestive Enzymes

 Amylase
Amylase is a crucial enzyme in carbohydrate digestion, breaking down starches into
sugars. It's secreted by salivary glands and pancreas. Blood amylase levels can help
diagnose digestive tract diseases. High levels may indicate pancreatic cancer, acute
pancreatitis, or pancreatic cancer, while low levels may indicate chronic pancreatitis or
liver disease.

 Maltase
The small intestine releases maltase, which breaks down maltose into glucose, which is
used for energy. Amylases partially convert starch into maltose during digestion, which is
then converted into glucose, either immediately consumed or stored in the liver.

 Lactase
Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down lactose, a sugar found in dairy products,
converting it into glucose and galactose. It is produced by enterocytes in the intestinal
tract, and unabsorbed lactose is fermented by gut bacteria, potentially causing gas and
stomach upset.

 Lipase
The stomach produces small amounts of sugar, which is crucial for breaking down fats
into fatty acids and glycerol.

 Proteases
The stomach produces peptidases, also known as proteolytic enzymes, which break down
proteins into amino acids. These enzymes are essential for cell division, blood clotting,
and immune function. The main enzymes are pepsin, secreted by the stomach, which
breaks down proteins into peptides. Trypsin, formed when an enzyme secreted by the
pancreas is activated by an enzyme in the small intestine, activates additional pancreatic
enzymes like carboxypeptidase and chymotrypsin to break down peptides. Chymotrypsin
breaks down peptides into free amino acids, while carboxypeptidase A splits peptides
into individual amino acids.

 Sucrase
Sucrase, a sugar found in table sugar, is secreted by the small intestine and breaks down
into fructose and glucose, which are absorbed by the body. It is found along intestinal
villi, tiny hair-like structures.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-digestive-enzymes-1945036
4.) Digestive health is important for overall health because it ensures proper nutrition and
prevents discomforts such as abdominal pain. Inadequate digestive health can cause bloating,
indigestion, and other symptoms. As a result, maintaining good digestive health is critical for
overall wellness and avoiding negative health consequences. Animals rely on two processes:
feeding and digestion. Understanding the digestive system can help producers become more
efficient feeders, as well as gain a better understanding of animal health and potential problems.