sheep digestive system
Reticulum: The reticulum is a blind pouch of the rumen that acts as a holding area for feed after it passes down the esophagus. The reticulum receives material coming into the digestive system and will trap large inedible objects. Rumen: The rumen is a very large muscular pouch, which extends within the left side of the body cavity from the diaphragm to the pelvis. The rumen is a critical site for feed digestion in ruminants. Omasum: The omasum is much smaller than the rumen. It grinds feed particles coming rom the rumen/reticulum to reduce the particle size and to absorb excess moisture. As fermentation requires large amounts of fluid, it is important to recapture water to avoid dehydration. Abomasum: The abomasums functions in a similar manner as the stomach of a monogastric, including the production of acids to help in digestion of certain feeds. Protein that is insoluble in the rumen fluid, a small percentage of starch, and any ats in the diet are passed from the rumen into the abomasum relatively intact. As large numbers of microbes are also flushed from the rumen, the abomasum is specialized to break down the microbes. These microbes are an important source of nutrients for the ruminant. The digestive tract is composed of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, and anus. we have already covered the stomach. the rest of the digestive system components are listed below. and to the right is a short video of the ruminant digestive system. Salivary glands: There are three sets of glands that drain saliva into the mouth. The saliva mixes with the feed that is being chewed and is swallowed with the feed. Esophagus: The esophagus is a long muscular tube that runs to the stomach. When feed is swallowed, muscles in the esophagus move the food to the rest of the system. Small intestine: The small intestine is the main site of absorption of nutrients that have by-passed the rumen. The small intestine is approximately 85 feet long in adult sheep. Bile and pancreatic juice drain into the small intestine to help in digestion of certain feed components, such as dietary fat. Liver: The liver is a large organ, about 1.5% of an animal’s live weight. It is located towards the front of the animal’s body cavity, just behind the diaphragm. Newly digested and absorbed nutrients are transported from the absorption sites to the liver for storage and/or further processing. The liver also produces bile that drains into the intestine to aid in the digestion of fats. Large intestine: The mammalian large intestine consists of the caecum and the colon. The caecum is a blind pouch that opens into the digestive tract. In ruminants, approximately 10-15% of the animal’s energy requirement is supplied through microbes in the caecum. |
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