Comparitive GI Systems

Question 1

Describe the relative sizes of the GI portions in the carnivore

Answer 1

Large stomach - store food

Small LI - little fermentation

Question 2

Describe the size of GI compartments in ruminants

Answer 2

Huge fore-stomach - foregut fermenters
True stomach
Average LI

Question 3

Describe the compartment size for simple stomached herbivores (horses/rabbits)

Answer 3

Small stomach

Huge LI - him gut fermenters

Question 4

Why are hind gut fermenters 70% less efficient than foregut fermenters?

Answer 4

Gut transit time can’t be reduced

Question 5

Which animals do not have salivary amylase?

Answer 5

Carnivores

Ruminants

Question 6

Describe the muzzle, tongue mobility size of forestomach and other features found in browsers

Answer 6

narrow muzzle
Mobile tongue
Small forestomach
Oesophageal groove
Little glucose absorption in SI

Question 7

Describe the muzzle, tongue mobility size of forestomach and other features found in grazers

Answer 7

Wide muzzles
Less mobile tongue/lips
larger forestomach
No oesphageal groove
Less glucose absorption in SI

Question 8

What is the oesophageal groove? Which animals have it permanently? Which lose it upon weaning?

Answer 8

Feature present in young ruminants which allows milk to bypass the fermentation chamber
Permanent - browser
Lost- grazer

Question 9

Why do browsers have an oesophageal groove after weaning?

Answer 9

To allow hCHO to bypass fermentation

More energy if not fermented

Question 10

Browsers keep their oesophageal groove. What other feature in their SI do they keep?

Answer 10

SGLT1

Question 11

Which animals are browsers?

Answer 11

Deer, small ruminants, giraffes

Question 12

Which animals are grazers?

Answer 12

Cows, sheep