Complex Digestion

Introduction
Functions of the digestive system
Receive ingested food
Store ingesta temporarily
Reduce it physically
Reduce it chemically
Absorb the products of digestion
Hold and then eliminate undigested wastes
Digestive system:
Digestive tract- mouth to anus
Accessory tissues:
salivary glands
pancreas
liver
Stomach (ventriculus, gaster)
Dilated section in which digestion is started
Variation in size and complexity among species
Functions:
Retention
Digestion due to HCl and enzymes
Small intestine
Principle organ of digestion and absorption in most species
Relatively simple anatomy
Large intestine
Cecum, colon, rectum
Variation in size and complexity among species
Function:
Absorption of water and electrolytes
Storage of feces
Fermentation of unabsorbed, and undigested ingesta that escapes
the sm. intestine
Digestive tract
Extremely diverse
Adapted to varied diets
Carnivorous
Omnivorous
Herbivorous
Carnivorous diet
Easily digested concentrated food

 Simple stomach
Short & simple intestinal tract
Omnivorous diet
Mixture of food types
Simple stomach and small intestine
Expanded large intestine
Herbivorous diet
Low nutritive value- therefore increased volume needed
Herbivorous diet (cont)
Less digestible
Cellulose
Complex carbohydrates
Appetizing?
2 possible anatomical solutions:
Foregut adaptation
Hindgut adaptation
Foregut adaptation
Large, divided stomach
Intermittent feeders
Ruminants
cattle
camel
Non-ruminants
kangaroo
Hindgut adaptation
Expanded, compartmentalized large intestine
Grazers
Horse, pig, rabbit
Horse
Foregut adaptersruminant digestion
2 suborders:
Ruminantia- deer, giraffe, ox
stomach- 4 compartments
reticulum, rumen, omasum, abomasum
Tylopodia- camel, llama, alpaca
stomach- 3 compartments
reticulum, rumen, abomasum
cardiac glands in wall of rumen and reticulum
omasum- vestigial or absent
Ruminant foregut adapters

Forestomach (proventriculus):
Volume (cattle):
Rumen- 80%
Reticulum- 5%
Omasum- 8%

cellulose and carbohydrate breakdown

(75% in goat)
(8% in goat)
(4% in goat)

True stomach (ventriculus):

Volume (cattle):
Abomasum- 7%
(13% in goat)
Ruminoreticular compartment
Rumen and reticulum are often considered together as a unit
Entrance of esophagus (at cardia) is located dorsal to the
ruminoreticular fold
Lining mucosa varied
Dependant on age, location, diet, etc.
Microbial fermentation occurs here
Absorption- volatile fatty acids
Reticular groove
Reflex to divert ingesta beyond the ruminoreticular compartment
Unweaned animal- strongest
Adult- still functions, stimulated by ADH
Initiated when receptors in the mouth and pharynx are stimulated
Dorsal vagus nerve
Reticular groove
Ruminoreticular stratification
Omasum
Round in cattle, bean shaped in small ruminants
Ingesta is squeezed between many mucosal folds
Absorption of fluids
Abomasum
Similar to simple stomach
Glandular mucosa, simple columnar epithelium
Neonatal calf- 50% of the total volume of the ruminant stomach
Motility of the ruminant stomach
Reticulum motility
biphasic or triphasic
1-2 contractions/min.
Rumen motility
uniphasic or biphasic
1-2 contractions/min.
Omasum motility
Slow

Abomasum motility
Sluggish contractions

Motility
Change in motility is dependant on type of ingesta
Ruminant digestion
Ruminoreticulum
Large divided chamber allows:
Soaking
Mixing
Fermentation by bacteria and protozoa
Rumination
time spent ruminating is dependant on coarseness of diet
Regurgitation
intraesophageal pressure due to forced inspiration with a closed glottis
Reverse peristalsis in esophagus
Remastication
Reinsalivation
A cow will produce 100-200 L/day of saliva
Redeglutition
Eructation
0.5-1 liter of gas/min. produced in the ruminoreticulum of a dairy cow
Primary stimulus for eructation is gas in the dorsal sac of the rumen
Occurs once in 2 cycles of ruminoreticular contractions
Innervation
Predominantly parasympathetic
Dorsal and ventral vagal trunks
Dorsal vagotomy- complete paralysis of rumen
Vascularization
Branches of the celiac artery
Pig stomach
Hindgut adapters Simple stomach
Fermentation occurs in an enlarged, compartmentalized cecum and
ascending colon
Motility
Vascularization
What branches of the aorta?
Colic = abdominal pain