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 SystemsBeak

Salivary Glands

Esophagus

Crop

Pancreas

Liver Gall Bladder

Proventriculus

Gizzard

Small Intestine

Large Intestine

Ceca

CloacaVent

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

Bird Systems

Bird Systems

Bird Systems