ANSC 605: Poultry Anatomy and Physiology

Feathers

• Pterylae (feather tract) and apteria (featherless tracts)

• Many types of feathers

  • Down feathers (insulation)

Skin

• Thinner than mammals (10 cells layer)

  • Greater pliability

  • Reduces body weight

  • Assists neurosensation

• Same layers as mammals

  • Epidermis

  • Dermis

  • Subcutaneous tissue

Specialized Integument Structures

• Keratinized/horny structures

  • Beak, claws, and scales

• Ornamental outgrowths

  • Comb, wattles, caruncles

• Cutaneous glands

  • No sweats glands

  • Uropygial gland

    • Preen gland = use oil to condition feathers (not in pigeons)

Skull

• Fused and thin bones

• Nasal cavity and sinuses

• Scleral ossicles (helps hold eyes in)

Vertebral Column

• Cervical vertebrae (number varies with species)

• Notarium (fused)

• Free thoracic vertebrae (high fracture risk)

• Synsacrum (fused

• Caudal vertebrae

• Pygostyle (fused)

Pectoral Girdle

• Clavicles (fused to keel in some species)

• Coracoid bones

• Scapulas with keel (shoulder blades)

• Sternum with keel (carina)

  • Pec muscles connects to the keel from either side

Wings

• Humerus

• Radius/Ulna

• Carpal bones

• Carpometacarpus

• Digits

Pelvis and Pelvic Limb

• Non-fused pubis

• Femur

• Patella (knee cap)

• Tibiotarsus/fibula

• Tarsometatarsus

• Spur

  • Bone covered in keratinized skin

• Digits (4)

Upper Resp System

Nares

• Operculum

Nasal Cavity connects to infraorbital sinus

Choana

• Opening in hard palate, connects nasal and oral cavities

Trachea

Syrinx

• Point of trachea divides into primary bonchi

• Composed of cartilage, membranes, and muscles

Lungs

• Primary site of gas exchange

Air Flow In Resp System

• Sternum moves down and forward during inspiration

  • Expands body cavity and air sacs

  • Any compression on sternum could lead to asphyxiation

Avian Resp Cycle

• Two breath cycle

Avian Hearts

• Four-chambered heart

• Includes renal portal system

  • Preferentially sending blood from the hind limbs to the kidneys

  • Cranial injections preffered

Digestive System Characteristics

• No teeth

• Non-muscular tongue in poultry

• Crop

Digestive Parts

• Proventriculus

  • Glandular portion of stomach

• Ventriculus

  • Muscular, grinding portion of stomach

  • Gizzard

  • Lined with koilin (waxy covering in ventriculus)

What happens after passing through gizzard?

• Food travels through small and large intestine

• And after that the cloaca

Cloaca

• Place where repro, gastro, and urinary systems empty

• Bursa of Fabricius

  • Immune funcition

  • Gets smaller with age

• Opens to outside at muscular vent

Urinary/Renal

• Kidneys

  • Excretes both urine and uric acid

• No urinary bladder

• Ureters empty into cloaca

Three Components of Poo

• Poop part

• Uric acid