Theory question 103
Digestive System of Farm Animals(a) Define the term digestion in farm animals. (b) In a tabular form, give four differences between the digestive systems of a chicken and a goat. (c) List five methods of improving rangeland. (d) Name the end product of digestion of each of the following nutrients: (i) carbohydrate; (ii) protein; (iii) fat and oil. (e) State four functions of proteins in farm animals. (f) Mention two digestive enzymes found in the small intestines of a pig.
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(a) Digestion is the breakdown of large, insoluble food substances into small, soluble molecules that can be absorbed into the blood
(b) Any four differences (chicken vs goat): has a beak, no teeth vs has teeth/no upper incisors with a dental pad; has a crop vs no crop; has a gizzard to grind feed vs grinding done by chewing the cud; proventriculus (simple glandular stomach) vs four-chambered stomach (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum); two caeca vs one caecum; ends in a cloaca vs ends in an anus; does not ruminate vs ruminates; little microbial digestion vs microbial digestion of fibre in rumen
(c) Any five: reseeding with better grasses and legumes; controlled/rotational grazing; controlled burning; fertilizer application; weed and bush control; provision of water points; erosion control; fallowing/resting; pest control
(d)(i) Carbohydrate: glucose/simple sugars (volatile fatty acids in ruminants) (ii) Protein: amino acids (iii) Fat and oil: fatty acids and glycerol
(e) Any four: growth (body building); repair of worn-out tissues; formation of enzymes and hormones; formation of antibodies; production of milk, eggs, wool; source of energy when in excess
(f) Any two: trypsin; amylase; lipase; maltase; sucrase; lactase; peptidase/erepsin
In (b) set out the differences in two columns, one for each animal.