Specialized Digestive Systems

What are they? Animals with specialized digestive tracts are still non-ruminant animals but they have unique organs that allow them to efficiently process the food they consume

Hindgut Fermenters Non-ruminant herbivores that have a functioning cecum that allows them to eat large amounts of roughage –Horses –Rhinos –Elephants –Rabbits –Guinea Pigs

Bird Systems Beak –Mouth which pecks and scoops feed Salivary Glands –Add digestive enzymes and lubricate feed Esophagus –Connects beak to the crop Crop –Storage pouch that moistens feed

Bird Systems Proventriculus –Glandular stomach that adds gastric juices and mixes and churns feed Gizzard –Purplish colored organ that contains grit to grind feed during muscle contractions Small Intestine –Digests and absorbs nutrients

Bird Systems Large Intestine –Absorbs water Ceca –2 blind pouches that do not function at the end of the large intestine Cloaca –Internal sphincter that controls excretion Vent –External sphincter that controls excretion

Bird Systems Beak Salivary Glands Esophagus Crop Pancreas Liver Gall Bladder Proventriculus Gizzard Small Intestine Large Intestine Ceca Cloaca Vent

Bird Systems

Mouth which pecks and scoops feed

Bird Systems

Glandular stomach that adds gastric juices and mixes and churns feed

Bird Systems

Absorbs water

Bird Systems

Add digestive enzymes and lubricate feed

Bird Systems

Purplish colored organ that contains grit to grind feed during muscle contractions

Bird Systems

2 blind pouches that do not function at the end of the large intestine

Bird Systems

Connects beak to the crop

Bird Systems

Digests and absorbs nutrients

Bird Systems

Internal sphincter that controls excretion

Bird Systems

Storage pouch that moistens feed

Bird Systems

External sphincter that controls excretion

Bird Systems