The avian digestive system, found in poultry, is completely different from the other three types of digestive systems. A poultry animal does not teeth but has a crop, a proventriculus, a gizzard, and a cloaca. The ruminant digestive system is found cattle, sheep, and goats. Ruminants eat feed rations that are high in roughages. The ruminant The gas phase above the digesta in the reticulo-rumen consists of approximately 65~o CO2, 25~o CH4, 7~ N2 and trace amounts of H2 and 02.43 The CO2 and CH4 are derived from microbial fermentation as is the small amount of H2. The N2 and 02 enter the gas phase of the reticulo-rumen along with ingested forage. Ruminant Digestive Systems Functions of the digestive system of animals include: ingestion (eating) chewing (mastication) swallowing (deglutition) absorption of nutrients elimination of solid wastes (defecation) fRuminant Digestive Systems The digestive system changes food nutrients into compounds that are easily absorbed into the bloodstream. The stomach is a chamber of the ruminant digestive system that constitutes an appropriate environment for the development of a rich community of bacteria, protozoa and fungi (Karasov and Douglas 2013). Because vertebrates do not produce enzymes to digest the structural carbohydrates that constitute the plant cell wall, the ruminant relies on Digestive Systems Sarah D. Baker, Extension Educator Goal (learning objective) Youth will learn about the differences, parts and functions between ruminant and monogastric diges-tive systems. Supplies Copies of Handout 1 "Ruminant vs Monogastric Digestive System" make enough copies for group Copies of Handout 2 "Ruminant Digestive System The ruminant animal is unique because of the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship that exists with the microbes living in its digestive tract. Through the action of these microbes, high-fiber feed sources become assets. Non-protein nitrogen com- pounds can be used by the ruminant in the produc- tion of microbial protein. The ruminant digestive system starts by chewing and gulping food. These animals don't chew their food completely. They consume the maximum amount of food possible and swallow it. Ruminants have adopted this process to save themselves from predator attacks while collecting food. Process of Rumination • Regurgitate feed from rumen • Re-masticate and re-salivate • Re-swallow • Repeat with another bolus The Four Compartments of theRuminant System • Reticulum • Rumen • Omasum • Abomasum • Food travels through the digestive system in the same order as above Ruminant Digestive System aComplex structure with four compartments Source: Animal Feeding and Nutrition (Jurgens) Ruminant Characteristics aPrimarily herbivores `Cattle, sheep, goats, deer, elk `Camelids are "pseodu" ruminants a60-75% of ingesta fermented by microbes The ruminant digestive system starts by chewing and gulping food. These animals don't chew their food completely. They consume the maximum amount of food possible and swallow it. Ruminants have adopted this process to save themselves from predator attacks while collecting food. Digestive tract of the adult ruminant animal (Cow) The cow's digestive tract consists of the following. Mouth Esophagus A four-compartment stomach, which includes o The rumen (paunch) o The reticulum ("honeycomb") o The omasum ("manyplies") o The abomasum ("true stomach") Small intestine Large intestine •Non-ruminants do better as the varie