Questions to Answer:

1. Explain how digestive system works.

All living organisms need to eat in order to survive and to have nutrients in the body.
They use the organs of their digestive systems to extract important nutrients from food
they consume, which can later be absorbed. Most of the animals ingest their food as
large and it must be broken down into its basic components which can be done
through mechanical and chemical stimulation of food. The process typically begins in
the mouth by the grinding action of teeth in the food (chewing or mastication) but in
other animals that do not have teeth other mechanical methods are used. The glands
in the mouth which secrete saliva wets the food to be easier to swallow and tongue
pushes the food towards the back of the throat, where it travels down the esophagus.
Once the food is broken down from saliva and chewing, it moves through the
esophagus, which is the pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach. When the food
reaches the stomach, it is further broken down by acid and powerful enzymes within
the stomach for several hours and is turned into a liquid or paste called chyme. From
there, the food moves into the small intestine where food is further broken down by
enzymes released from the pancreas and bile from the liver. The majority of nutrients
are absorbed in the small intestine and whatever is left in the small intestine passes
through to the big intestine- a long muscular tube that connects the small intestine to
the rectum which is responsible for processing waste. Usually it takes about 36 hours
for waste (feces) to get through the big intestine and exit the rectum through the anus.
To conclude,the function of the digestive system in animals involves the ingestion
(taking of food), digestion (breaking down of food), absorption (extraction of nutrients
from the food), and defecation (removal of waste products). This system is very
essential because it helps the body of animals to absorb nutrients.

2. What is the difference of non-ruminant stomach to ruminant stomach?

Ruminants and non-Ruminants stomachs are differ to each other. The ruminant
stomach is a complex with four compartments found in ruminants which allows them
to chew and regurgitate food more than once and digest it multiple times in different
stomachs. It is usually composed of four separate chambers namely the rumen, the
reticulum, the omasum and the abomasum. It allows digestion of large quantities of
plant that would be relatively indigestible for most other types of mammals. Also, the
capacity of this kind of stomach is very high. On the other hand, the non- ruminants
stomach is simple with a single compartment which allows animals to digest food on
just one stomach. The capacity of this kind of stomach is less than the other one.
3. Name the four compartments of the stomach of ruminant. Which two are located
primarily on the left side? Which is the largest? Which is the true “chemical stomach”?

Ruminants are animals with a four compartment stomach that regurgitates and
masticates its food after swallowing. Ruminant stomachs have four components
namely the rumen, the reticulum ,the abomasum ,and the omasum. The rumen
(paunch) is the first chamber and the largest compartment of the ruminant's stomach
occupying most of the abdomen's left side. This compartment serves as storage for
chewed vegetation and forms balls of cud. The reticulum referred to as a
“honeycomb” is the second chamber of the stomach that lies against the diaphragm
left of the midline. This component holds heavy or dense objects that trap large feed
particles that are not small enough to be digested. Both rumen and reticulum are
located primarily on the left side. The omasum is nicknamed “manyplies'' which is the
third part of a ruminant's stomach. This compartment absorbs water and other
substances from digestive contents. The abomasum is the last compartment of the
stomach and is often known as the “ true stomach ” or true “ chemical stomach ”
because it operates the most similar to a non-ruminant stomach. This true stomach is
the only compartment of the ruminant stomachs lined with glands. Each of these
compartments is vital in maintaining a healthy digestive process.