Elements of Livestock Production - Digestive System and Animal Classification

Vocabulary flashcards covering the functions of the digestive system and animal classifications according to natural diet.

Prehension

The action or process of grabbing or taking in food into the digestive organs.

Mechanical reduction

The physical breakdown of food into smaller particles by the digestive system.

Chemical digestion

The chemical breakdown of food into simple nutrients suitable for absorption.

Absorption of nutrients

The process by which nutrients are taken up by digestive organs into the body.

Elimination of residue

The process of discharging undigested food waste and residual material from the body.

Carnivore

An animal that consumes animal tissue as its primary source of nutrients (e.g., cats).

Herbivore

An animal that primarily consumes plant tissue (e.g., Sheep, Cattle, Horses).

Omnivore

An animal that consumes both plant and animal as sources of nutrients (e.g., dogs and pigs).

Diet diversity and anatomy

The concept that different animal diets lead to different anatomical developments of the gastrointestinal tract.