Lecture 34 - Ruminant Motility and Secretions Flashcards
How can herbivores hydrolyze beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds?
Microbes in their GI tract that produce cellulase and allow the animal to use short chain volatile fatty acids
Where does fermentation occur in dogs and humans?
Large intestine
What kind of GI tract will an animal have that makes fermentation valuable?
A larger fermentation vat
What is the difference between ruminants and hind gut fermenters?
Ruminants have a large, multi-compartmented section of the GI tract between the esophagus and true stomach.
Hind-gut fermenters have a specialized large intestine.
What are the functions of the liver, pancreas and gall bladder in ruminants?
Liver: stores carbohydrates, produces bile, metabolized carbohydrates, proteins and fat
Pancreas: Hormone and digestive enzyme secretion
Gallbladder: Bile storage
What do ruminants have instead of upper incisors?
Dental pad
What kind of teeth do ruminants have?
Hypsodont
What is different about the saliva of ruminants vs non-ruminants?
pH is usually higher in ruminants to neutralize and buffer acids produced during bacterial fermentation
What type of peristalsis in the esophagus do ruminants use?
Antegrade and retrograde
What type of muscle is in the entire esophagus?
Striated skeletal
Which stomach compartments make up the forestomach?
Rumen
Reticulum
Omasum
Which stomach compartment is the true stomach?
Abomasum
What is the function of the rumen?
-Storage of food
-Fermentation by microbes (bacteria, fungi, protozoa)
What is the ideal pH in the rumen and why?
~6.7
Microbes are healthiest at this pH and will start to die below 5.5 (acidosis)
What is the function of the reticulum?
-More storage of feed
-Microbe fermentation
What is the function of the omasum?
-Absorbs water and nutrients
-Prevents passage of large particles through the digestive system
What is the function of the abomasum?
Digest protein from feed and ruminal microbes
What is the pH in the abomasum?
2-3
What are the functions of the small intestine?
-Enzymatically break down nutrients
-Absorb nutrients (fatty acids, sugars, amino acids) and water via intestinal villi