UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO
AnSci 223: INTRODUCTION
TO LIVESTOCK AND
POULTRY PRODUCTION
Mary Ann B. Rama, MSc.
Instructor
Chapter 3. Nutrition and Feeding of Meat-
Type Ruminants
A. The Ruminant Digestive System
Parts of the Compound Stomach
• Rumen
• Reticulum
• Omasum
• Abomasum
AnSci 223: Introduction to Livestock and Poultry
RUMEN
Ruminant’s Digestive System 3
The Compound Stomach
Rumen
• called as “paunch”
or “tuwalya”
• largest compartment in
adult animals
• main site of fermentation
by microorganisms
• breakdown of cellulose
and fiber
• CELLULOSE
• most abundant carbohydrate
• glucose units linked by β-linkage
• principal cell wall constituent of plants
1000x Scanning Electron Microscope Images of fiber strands 5
• The cytoplasm contains most of the
protein and cell wall has little protein, the
protein content of a forage decreases as
the plant matures and the cell wall
expands.
• Immature/young plants have abundant
sugar (sucrose) in their cytoplasm.
1000x Scanning Electron Microscope Images of fiber strands 6
RUMEN
• The rumen is a large muscular
compartment which fills the left side of the
body cavity
• The muscular walls secrete no enzymes
and are covered by projections called
papillae which are required for absorption
of nutrients
• Provide favorable environment for protozoa
and bacteria
• A milliliter of rumen fluid contains 25-50
billion bacteria 7
• Ruminal bacteria are responsible for a
significant pregastric fermentation which
produces:
● enzymes that breakdown fiber as
well as, starch and protein. The digestion
which occurs produces volatile fatty acid
(propionic, butyric, acetic) which are
absorbed via the papillae and used as a
source of energy for the animal
8
● Bacterial synthesis of amino acids and
protein.
● The bacteria will pass out of the rumen
and
become a source of amino acids for the
host
animal.
9
Favorable conditions which are
provided in the rumen include:
• anaerobic environment
• constant warm temperature
• moisture
• constant food supply
• mixing
• removal of toxic end-products
10
Additional functions of the rumen
include:
• Storage
• Soaking
• Physical mixing and breakdown
11
RETICULUM
Ruminant’s Digestive System
12
The Compound Stomach
RETICULUM
• “waffle” or “honeycomb”
• aids in regurgitation
• also a site for microbial
fermentation
• connected by rumino-
reticular fold
RETICULUM
• The reticulum and the rumen are not
completely seperated; they are not 2
distinctly separate compartments.
• But they do have different functions
14
Functions of Reticulum
• To move food into the rumen or omasum
• Collection of dense particles of food and
in regurgitation of food and in
regurgitation of ingesta during
rumination*
15
OMASUM
Ruminant’s Digestive System
16
The Compound Stomach
OMASUM
• manifold or "butcher's
bible” or many plies
• leaf-like folds, or foliae
• further grinding of feed
before entering the
abomasum
• in this chamber, water and inorganic minerals are
absorbed. The digesta is filtered to ensure that no
harmful object enters into the omasum.
OMASUM
• The omasum is a round muscular organ
which contains many muscular laminae
(sometimes called many plies)
• Possible functions included:
- controlling passage of ingesta to lower tract
i.e. acts as a pump
- reduce particle size of ingesta and,
- absorption
18
ABOMASUM
Ruminant’s Digestive System
19
The Compound Stomach
ABOMASUM
• true glandular
stomach of ruminants
• similar to the
stomach of
monogastric animals
ABOMASUM
• The true stomach and the first glandular
portion whereby digestion by enzymes take
place.
• Gastric juice containing hydrochloric acid,
pepsin, renin and lipase are produced.
ABOMASUM
• In young unweaned animals, the
abomasum is about 80% of the stomach
while in the adult it is only 10%.
• The digesta stays in the abomasum for
about 1-2 hours
Digestive System of the Sheep
23
Small Intestine and Large
Intestine
• These areas in the ruminant are
very similar in form and functions
as in the non-ruminant
24
The Compound Stomach
Forestomach = Rumen + Reticulum
+ Omasum
SMALL INTESTINE
• Further breakdown of the food digesta
occur at the upper part of the small
intestine.
• Here, pancreatic juice and bile assist in
the digestion process while absorption
of the end product takes place in the
lower portion of the intestine through a
finger-like structure called villi.
26
SMALL INTESTINE
• The small intestine is the primary site
in the GI tract for enzymatic digestion.
Three (3) regions
1. Duodenum
2. Jejunum
3. Ileum
27
Small Intestine
• The small intestine has 3 divisions:
• Duodenum
- an active site of digestion that receives
secretions from the pancreas, liver and
intestinal walls
• Jejunum
- middle section that is involved in
nutrient absorption
•Ileum
- last section (also involved in nutrient
28
absorption)
LARGE INTESTINE
• The large intestine is made up of the
colon, cecum and rectum.
• In this part of the Gastro-Intestinal
Tract (GIT), some of the food residue is
deposited for further fermentation in
the cecum which has a blind end
containing some microbes.
29
LARGE INTESTINE
• The absorption of water and other
nutrients continues in the colon. The
digesta moves until it reaches the
rectum and anus.
• The undigested food material forms a
solid mass in the colon and it is
eventually expelled through the anus.
30
rectum
Pig’s Digestive System 31
Colon Cecum
Ileum
Pig’s Digestive System 32
Large Intestine
• The large intestine also has 3 sections:
• Cecum
- first section which is relatively
large in the horse and rabbit
Note: when well developed as in the
horse contains many bacteria
which produced enzymes that
digest fiber (i.e. cellulase)
33
• Colon
- middle section which is involved in
reabsorption of water
- length is related to amount of water
reabsorption.
- i.e. the colon is very long in the
desert rat
• Rectum
- last section
34
Additional unique features of
the ruminant include:
• Esophageal groove
- begins at the base of the esophagus
- when stimulated by sucking, forms a tube
which empties into the abomasums
- function to direct milk obtained from
sucking to
escape microbial digestion in the rumen
35
36
• Rumination
- described as controlled vomiting
- in this process, a controlled set of contractions
of the esophagus, reticulum, and rumen allow
ingesta to be regurgitated back up to the
esophagus where fluids are swallowed again
and additional remastication and reswallowing
of solids occur
-
37
Eructation
• The process of belching of gas
• Allows for removal of large volume of gas
produced in the rumen
• Contractions of the upper part rumen
force the gas up the esophagus and from
there, the gas penetrates into the
trachea and lungs
38
Enzymes
• Following mechanical breakdown, the
action of enzymes is required to break
nutrients down to their basic units
• Organic catalysts which produce changes
in the structure of nutrients which result
in the reduction to basic units
39
A wrench is unchanged after 1,000's of uses, so an enzyme keeps working after completing
a reaction.
Saliva
*Salivary amylase – starch to maltose
Rumen
*Microbial cellulase – cellulose to volatile fatty
acid
*Microbial amylase – starch to volatile fatty
acids &
lactic acid
*Microbial proteases – protein to amino acids
and NH3
*Microbial urease – urea to CO2 and NH3 40
ABSORPTION
• Occurs primarily in the small intestine
and large intestine
• The villi (very small projections which line
the small intestine) are essential for
absorption
41
42
INTESTINAL VILLI 43
• Large amount of absorption of volatile fatty
acids occurs in the rumen and depends
greatly on many healthy papillae
(projections which line the rumen)
• In general, absorption occurs as the result
of diffusion or active transport
• Diffusion involves the movement of the
basic units from areas of high
concentration (the GI tract) to area of lower
concentration (the blood)
44
45
Nutrient Digestion
Nutrients Basic Unit
• Protein amino acid
• Starch glucose (non-ruminant)
VFA & lactic acid (ruminant)
• Cellulose Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA)
• Sucrose glucose & fructose
• Lactose glucose & galactose
• Lipids fatty acids & glycerol
• Minerals any soluble form
• Vitamins any soluble form
46
Uniqueness of the Rumen:
Rumen Microorgansims
The rumen microorganism are the:
• Bacteria
• Ciliates
• Protozoa
• Fungi
Rumen Microorgansims
• rumen bacteria
Rumen Microorgansims
• rumen fungi
Rumen Microorgansims
• rumen protozoa
Rumen Microorgansims
• rumen ciliates
Chapter 3. Nutrition and Feeding of Meat-
Type Ruminants
A. Nutrients and Their Functions
Nutrients are chemical feed constituents
that nourish and support animal
life.
Nutrients are divided into six (6) classes:
Carbohydrates,
Proteins, Fats, Vitamins,
Minerals and Water.
AnSci 223: Introduction to Livestock and Poultry
Water
• Cheapest and most
abundant nutrient
• Percentage of body
water varies with age
5
3
Water
• It’s 65-85% of animal body
weight at birth and 45-60%
of body weight at maturity
• “Percentage of body water decreases
with animal age and has an inverse
relationship with body fat”
5
4
Water
Accounts for 90-95% of
blood and many tissues
contain 70-90% water
Sources
of
Water
5
6
A. Drinking Water
B. Water in feeds (8-
30%)
C. Metabolic water
(may account for
5-10% of total
water intake)
What are
Carbohydrates?
60
General
Concept
• derived from the French word “hydrate de
carbone”
• made up of C (40%),H (7%) & O (53%)
• include sugar, starch, cellulose
• produced during photosynthesis
• limited storage in animal’s body
• make-up approximately ¾ of plant dry
weight
61
General Concept
• These substances constitute the principal
source of calories or energy in the form of
starch, hemicellulose and cellulose in the
ration of ruminants.
• The amount of energy derived by the
animals depends on the rumen microbial
activity and the amount of lignified cellulose.
• Mature grasses and farm by product
roughages are highly lignified and, therefore,
poor sources of energy. 62
Functions
• major source of energy
• source of heat
• source of calories
• structural
• transport function
• regulatory function
• antigen antibody interactions
63
PROTEIN
What is protein?
• pro·tein (ˈprōˌtēn/noun)
• essential part of all living organisms,
• Provides amino acids, which are essential for
the building and repair of animal tissues such
as muscles, organs, hooves, skin, hair, etc.
• Excess protein in the ration may also serve as
energy source.
66
67
General
Concepts
• Made up of (molecular weight) of C (77%),
H (%) and P (1%) insoluble in water but
soluble in organic solvent
• yield 2.25 times more energy than
carbohydrates or proteins
68
69
GENERAL
• inorganic crystalline solid
• also called ash
• 5% of animal body weight on dry matter
basis
70
Classification
• MACROMINERALS
• also called major minerals
• needed in relatively large amounts in
the diet
• e.g. Mg, S, Ca, Na, Cl, K, P
71
• MICROMINERALS
• also called trace minerals
• needed in very small amount in the diet
• toxic in large quantities
• e.g. Zn, Cu, I, F, Se, Co, Mn, Fe
72
73
General
• Organic components of natural food but
distinct from carbohydrates, fats, protein
and water
• Present in minute amounts but effective
• Not source of energy
74
Classification
• FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS
● Vitamin A
● Vitamin D
● Vitamin E
● Vitamin K
75
Classification
• WATER SOLUBLE VITAMINS
● Thiamine (Vit B1)
● Riboflavin (Vit B2)
● Pyridoxine (Vit B6)
● Cyanocobalamin (Vit B12)
● Niacin
● Panthothenic Acid
● Biotin
● Choline
● Folic Acid
76
Two distinct types:
• Fat soluble (A, D, E, K )
• stored in the liver and fatty tissues. These
are not readily excreted from the body.
• Water soluble (B – complex, C)
• vitamins travel in the blood and are stored in
limited amounts. These are readily excreted
from the body through urine.
Chapter 4. General Management Practices
of Meat-Type Ruminants
AnSci 223: Introduction to Livestock and Poultry
Chapter 4. General Management Practices
of Meat-Type Ruminants
AnSci 223: Introduction to Livestock and Poultry
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AnSci 223: Introduction to Livestock and Poultry
