Animal nutrition

Digestion

Digestion is the breakdown of large molecules of food which cannot be used by the body into small
ones, so that they can be absorbed through the wall of the alimentary canal.

Types of Digestion

There are two types of digestion;

1. Physical digestion and,

2. Chemical digestion

Physical digestion

Also called mechanical digestion, it breaks down large pieces of food to small ones mechanically. It is
done by the teeth, the muscles in the wall of the alimentary canal and bile salts.

Chemical Digestion

Involves the use of enzymes which chemically change food from one form to another.

The Alimentary Canal/The digestive system of a human

Functions of Parts

Mouth – food is taken into the digestive system through the mouth. This is called ingestion. In the
mouth the food is broken down into smaller pieces by the teeth. This is a form of physical digestion. The
process of chewing also mixes the food with Saliva which has the following functions;
Functions of saliva

1. It lubricates the food which makes the movement of food in the gullet easy.

2. Saliva contains an enzyme called Salivary Amylase which converts starch to maltose.

3. It also provides and alkaline environment which is required for the operation of the enzyme amylase.

The Oesophagus/Gullet

It is a tube which links the mouth to the stomach. Food is moved down this tube by the process called
peristalsis. During the process of peristalsis, muscles above the food contract and those below the food
relax, pushing the food down the gullet.

The stomach

Food in the stomach is mixed with Gastric juices produced from the walls of the stomach by a process
called churning. The juices have the following purposes;

1.

Lubricates the food to make movement easy down the digestive system.

2. Contains hydrochloric acid which kills bacteria ingested with food and creates the optimum pH for the
operation of enzymes.

3. Contains two enzymes, rennin and pepsin. Rennin coagulates milk while pepsin changes protein to
peptides and peptones.

The Duodenum

This is the first section of the small intestines. Pancreatic juice from the pancreas and bile from the gall
bladder are added to the food.

Functions of bile

1. Bile emulsifies (breaks down into smaller particles) fats making their digestion easy.
2. It also creates the proper pH for the operation of enzymes

Functions of Pancreatic Juice

1. Contains the following enzymes

a. Lipase – this breaks down fats to fatty acids and glycerol

b. Pancreatic Amylase – it breaks down starch to maltose.

c. Trypsin – it breaks down proteins to peptides and peptones.

The Ileum

This is the second section of the small intestines. The ileum has two major functions, digestion and
absorption.

1. Digestion – juices are added to the food which contain the following enzymes;

a. Lipase – to digest fats to fatty acids and glycerol

b. Maltase – maltose to glucose

c. Peptidases – peptones and peptides to amino acids

d. Sucrase – sucrose to glucose

e. Lactase – Lactose to glucose

2. Absorption – the ileum is very long and contains small finger like structures called villi which are rich
in blood vessels. Both the length and the villi are designed to increase the surface area available for the
absorption of food substances like glucose and amino acids into the blood stream.

The Colon

Absorption of water, mineral salts and vitamins into the blood stream takes place in the colon. It is also
called the large intestines.

The Rectum
Holds undigested remains(faeces) of food before egestion.

The Anus – The purpose of the anus is egestion. This is the passing out of waste food substances from
the body.

Other Organs supporting the digestive system.

The liver

The liver is important for the following reasons;

1. The liver produces bile and it is stored in the gall bladder.

2. It regulates levels of sugar in the blood by converting excess glucose to glycogen and later converting
the glycogen back to glucose when sugar level fall.

3. The liver also breaks down excess proteins into urea and uric acid to excreted out of the body as
urine.

The Pancreas

Pancreatic juice flows into the duodenum. It contains enzymes that digest starch, proteins and lipids,
and also contains sodium hydrogen-carbonate to partly neutralise the acidity of food coming from the
stomach.

Absorption is the movement of digested food molecules through the wall of the intestine into the blood
by the process of diffusion.

Significance of Villii

Villi are finger like projections that increase the surface area for absorption. If a section of small intestine
was turned inside out, its surface would be kike a carpet. Inside each villus are:
- Blood capillaries: absorb amino acids and glucose.

- Lacteals: absorb fatty acids and glycerol.

Food molecules are absorbed: - mainly by diffusion or by active transport. Active uptake makes use of
energy.

Role of the hepatic portal vein

The hepatic portal vein transports absorbed food from the small intestine to the liver. After a meal, the
blood in this vein contains very high concentrations of glucose and amino acids, as well as vitamins and
minerals. The liver reduces levels backs to normal levels required by the body.

The absorbed nutrients are carried to the liver in the hepatic portal vein. Some are used in the liver,
some are stored, and some are sent on in the blood to be delivered to cells all over the body.

Assimilation

This is the use of the absorbed food substances in the body by body cells. Glucose is used during the
process of respiration; Protein is used for growth and repair of wounds and mineral salts for protection
against diseases.

The use of the end products of Digestion

Glucose

1. Excess glucose is converted by the liver and is stored.

2. Excess also converted into fats and are stored around organs and under the skin.
3. Glucose is used to release energy during the process of respiration.

Amino Acids

1. Used for the formation (synthesis) of protein e.g. making new cells, enzymes, hormones and repair of
worn out tissues.

2. Excess amino acids are broken down into urea and uric acid by the liver and excreted out of the body
as urine.

Fatty acids and glycerol

1. Are burnt to provide energy to the body especially when glucose is in short supply.

2. Some are made into cell membranes

3. Excess are converted to fats which insulates the body providing warmth, and protect organs such as
the heart and the intestines.

The Digestive System of a Ruminant

Ruminants eat food that consists mostly of a carbohydrate called cellulose which can not be digested in
the digestive system of non ruminants.

To be able to digest cellulose, ruminants have four stomach chambers as compared to just one in non
ruminants. The four chambers are;

1. Rumen

2. Reticulum

3. Omasum

4. Abomasum

Diagram
The Rumen (the first chamber)

Temporarily stores food as it is being fermented into sugars by a process called fermentation. The
stomach has bacteria which ferment cellulose changing it to sugars. Fermented food is then passed to
the next stomach.

The reticulum (the second chamber)

The reticulum has holes which roll the food into balls of cud while the animal is resting. These balls are
brought back to the mouth (regurgitated) where the food is chewed again and swallowed for the second
time. Swallowed food moves to the third stomach.

Abomasum (the fourth stomach)

This is the true stomach and gastric juice is added to the food. All other processes are the same as with
non ruminants.

The digestive system of a rabbit

A rabbit is a non ruminant which eats cellulose as part of its diet. The digestive system looks almost the
same as that of a human except that a rabbit has a caecum between the small intestines and the large
intestines. The caecum contains bacteria which ferments cellulose to sugars as occurs in the rumen of
ruminants.

Diagram

Growth and Development in Animals

Growth

A permanent increase in size (height, mass etc) acquired by an organism during the course of its
development

Development
A change in the complexity of the structure and efficiency of an organism during its life. e.g.
development of breasts, growing of a beard e.t.c.

Special dietary needs

· Animals need balanced diet for growth and production and therefore should be given the right kind of
food in the right quantities.

Young Animals

· Need extra proteins for growth

· Need extra iron for the formation of red blood cells.

· Calcium and phosphorous are required for the formation of bones and teeth.

· Vitamins required to fight against diseases.

Pregnant Animals

· A lot of proteins for the building of new tissues of the growing embryo

· Calcium and phosphorous for bone and teeth development.

· Vitamins for healthy living.

Animals for meat productions

· A lot of proteins when the animal is young and growing and a low level of protein at maturity.

· Increasing level of carbohydrates and fats for energy.

The food conversion efficiency/rate

· A ratio of the mass gained by an animal in one month to the mass of the food fed to that animal in the
one month. i.e mass gained over mass eaten.

· An animal with a high food conversion efficiency is more profitable to the farmer because it requires
lesser food to produce 1kg of body mass.
Growth curves

· The graph shows how mass changes through time i.e. it shows the rate of growth of an animal.

· It also shows the best time for slaughter.

· The graph is S shaped.

Diagram

A – B : slow growth rate

B – C : rapid growth rate

C – D : growth rate slowing down but economical

D – E : slow growth rate and uneconomical

Beyond E : no growth at all. At times mass may start coming down with age.

Appropriate time of slaughter.

Week P, which is in line with point D is most appropriate time of slaughter. Beyond this point mass gain
is no longer economical as weight gain is very slow though the animal is now eating a lot of food.

Summary

The Digestion Process (through the alimentary canal)

1. Mouth

Chewing and action of salivary amylase (both chemical and mechanical digestion)
2. Oesophagus

Food passes down by peristalsis

3. Stomach

Curdling of milk proteins

Digestion of proteins by pepsin

4. Small intestine

a. Digestion

action of bile

action of pancreatic enzymes

action of intestinal enzymes

b. Absorption of digested products

5. Colon

absorption of water and mineral salts

6. Rectum

storage of faeces

7. Anus

ejection or defecation

Peristalsis

It is the rhythmic wave-like contractions of the walls of the gut.

It is caused by the alternate contractions of the circular and longitudinal muscles (smooth muscles) in
the walls. It helps to push food along the gut.

Digestive juices

Digestive juice Source Contents

saliva salivary glands salivary amylase and mucin

gastric juice gastric glands in stomach rennin, pepsin, hydrochloric acid

pancreatic juice pancreas pancreatic amylase, trypsin, lipase

intestinal juice intestinal glands in small intestine enterokinase, maltase, lactase, sucrase, erepsin,
lipase

Digestion of starch, proteins and fats

Starch ------------------------------------------->Maltose -------------------------------------->Glucose

(amylase in saliva & pancreatic juice) (maltase in intestinal juice)

Proteins ------------------------------------->Peptond ------------------------------------->amino acids

(pepsin in gastric juice) (erepsin in intestinal juice)

(trypsin in pancreatic juice)

Fats ------------------------------------------------------>fatty acids and glycerol

(lipase in pancreatic and intestinal juice)

Adaptations of the small intestine for absorption of food substances

- large surface area

- richly supplied with blood capillaries and lymphatic capillaries to carry away absorbed food substances
- this continual removal maintains diffusion gradient for absorption

- vili have thin walls (epithelium only one-cell thick)

- long to provide sufficient time for absorption