DIGESTION PROCESS IN FARM MAMMALS AND POULTRY

Digestion in higher animals includes all activities of the alimentary tract and its
associated glands and organs in the conversion of feed into compounds available for
absorption and assimilation. It also includes the rejection of unabsorbed feed
residues (fecal materials). Most feeds when consumed are too complex to absorb
into the blood and lymph without preliminary digestive changes. Glucose, soluble
salts, water and a few other nutrients are exception (i.e. β-linkage such as cellulose).
The process of digestion are chemical factors include enzymes and certain
nonezymatic chemical substances (HCl) produced by digestive glands. The main
mechanical processes are mastication, deglutition, regurgitation, gastric and intestinal
mobility and defecation. Microbiological processes reflect the activities of bacteria
and, in some species of animals, protozoa within the digestive tract. The secretory
contributions to digestion include the enzymes and chemical produced (secreted) by
the digestive glands.
Minerals are dissolved from foods in the hydrochloric acid secretions of the
stomach. They are also released from the organic compounds that are digested by
the various enzymes. Water requires no digestion before being utilized by the animal.
Vitamins can be used as such within the body without conversion into simpler
compounds.
Enzymatic activity is responsible for most of the chemical changes occurring in
feeds on their movement through digestive tract. A summary of the enzymes
contributing to the digestive process is shown below:
Prepared by: JE PEPITO-May '09
 Region Secretion Enzyme Substrate or End products
function
Mouth saliva Amylase (ptyalin) Starches and Maltose and
carbohydrates dextrin
Urea (recycles)
Mucin Lubrications of
feeds
Crop (avian) Mucin Lubrications of
feeds
Rumen Enzymes cellulose VFA
(cellulase) from
microorganism
Polysaccharides Microbial
and starches protein
Sugars, fats and B vitamins and
protein (urea) vitamin K

ENZYMES in details

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 Region Secretion Enzyme Substrate or End products
function
Stomach Gastric juices Pepsin Proteins Proteoses and
(abomasums and acids (HCl) peptones
in mammals Lipase Fats Fatty acids and
and glycerol
proventriculus Mucus Coating of
in bird stomach lining
and lubrication
of feed
Gizzard Ground feeds
Nursing animal Gastric juice Rennin Milk protein Paracasein
(casein)

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 Region Secretion Enzyme Substrate or End products
function
Duodenum Pancreatic Trypsin Protein, Peptone,
juice Chymotrypsin proteoses, peptide and
Elastase peptones and amino acids
peptides
Amylase Starch and Dextrins and
dextrins maltose
Lipase Fats Higher fatty
acids and
glycerol
Esterase Cholesterol
esters
Carboxypeptidase Peptides Amino acids
and peptides
Phospholiphase A2 Lecithin
Ribonuclease RNA
Deoxyribonuclease DNA
Bile (liver) Fats Emulsion of fats

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 Region Secretion Enzyme Substrate or End products
function
Small intestine Intestinal Peptidase Peptides Amino acids and
juices (erepsin) dipeptides
Enteropeptidase Trypsinogen
Dipeptidase Dipeptides
Sucrase Sucrose Glucose and
(invertase) fructose
Maltase Maltose Glucose
Lactase Lactose Glucose and
galactose
1,6-Glucosidase 1,6-Glucosides
α-Limit Dextrinase α-Limit Dextrins
Phospholipase Phospholipids
Polynucleotide Nucleic acids Mononucleotides
Large intestine Cellulose from cellulose VFA
Cecum and microorganism
colon

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ABSORPTION

In the process of digestion, nutrients enter the body by absorption thorough the
gut wall (villi) or lumen of the gastrointestinal canal to the blood or lymph. Probably
no feed nutrients are absorbed from the mouth and esophagus and very few from
the stomach (an exception is the absorption of VFA across the rumen wall in
ruminants). Except for water absorption from the colon very little absorption occurs
from the large intestine of carnivores. Conversely, large intestine is the site of
substantial absorption of VFA in many hervibores (i.e horse). Absorption completes
the digestive process and makes nutrients available to support life.

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 On the other hand, VFAs produced in the rumen are metabolized differently
following the absorption:
(a) Acetic acid is not significantly metabolized by the rumen mucosa or liver, but
rather in metabolized by peripheral tissue (i.e. muscle and adipose). Acetic
acid eventually is oxidized by the Citric Acid Cycle (CAC) or Kreb Cycle,
entering as acetyl-CoA. At maintenance levels, 10 moles of ATP are produced
per mole of acetic acid. Acetic acid is also utilized in long chain fatty acid
synthesis.
(b) Nearly all of the propionic acid is metabolized in the liver where it either gives
rise to glucose or is metabolized via the Kreb Cycle to yield carbon dioxide,
water and 18 moles of ATP per mole of acid oxidized. Glucose can be used to
synthesize long chain fatty acids. Therefore, propionic acid can indirectly
contribute to fat synthesis.
(c) The rumen mucosa converts approximately 50% of the absorbed butyric acid
to β-hydroxyl butyric acid, a compound that is an intermediate in fatty acid
oxidation that is eventually used by entering the Kreb Cycle as acetyl Co-A.
The remainder of the butyric acid is utilized by the liver. Again, it is converted to
acetyl Co-A and enters in the Kreb Cycle, yielding 27 moles of ATP per mole of
acid metabolized. Since very little butyric acid is present in the bloodstream,
butyric is not highly involved in fat synthesis. Metabolism of biomolecules in
ruminants.
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 Digestion

Fermentation

All CHO must pass

through Pyruvate to
become VFA

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METABOLISM

Metabolism is the sum total of all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the
living state of the cells, and thus the organism. In general metabolism may be
divided into two categories: catabolism or the break down of molecules to obtain
energy; and anabolism or the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells
(examples are DNA, RNA, a protein synthesis). Metabolism will be studied in
various parts. Interrelationships will be pointed out as they are encountered. Just as
there are three basic biomolecules - carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, the
metabolism of each of these will be studied individually. The interrelationship of the
major components in metabolism is shown below. The metabolic processes that
then utilize the absorbed nutrients are essentially the same for all species. The
complexities of the metabolism of energy within animal cells may be centered upon
a few common cycles in termed “final oxidative pathways or the citric acid cycle as
the most important part of metabolism. All of the other types of metabolism feed into
it. This is the most important link to the “electron transport chain” where most of the
adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) needed for an energy reaction is produced.

ENZYMES in details
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METABOLISM SUMMARY

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