Animal Science Lecture Notes

A collection of vocabulary flashcards to help memorize key concepts from animal science related to digestion and nutrient absorption.

Iodine Deficiency

Leads to goiter, characterized by an enlarged neck.

Selenium Deficiency Symptoms

Trace mineral deficiency leading to white muscle disease in pigs and muscular dystrophy in lambs.

Iron Deficiency

Can cause anemia, especially in confined pigs.

Carnivores

Animals that primarily eat meat.

Herbivores

Animals that primarily eat plants.

Omnivores

Animals that consume both plant and animal matter.

Digestion

The process of breaking down large complex feed into simple, absorbable nutrients.

Absorption

The transportation of simple nutrients across the intestinal wall into the blood.

Pepsin

An enzyme secreted in the stomach to degrade proteins.

Ruminant Stomach

Stomach with four compartments: rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.

Symbiotic Relationship

Relationship where animals provide food for microbes and microbes offer nutritional benefits to the animal.

Omasum

Compartment of the ruminant stomach that absorbs water and minerals.

Abomasum

The true stomach of ruminants, functioning similarly to a monogastric stomach.

Pancreas

An organ that secretes digestive enzymes essential for digestion.

Large Intestine

The part of the digestive system responsible for minimal nutrient absorption and water reabsorption.

Iodine Deficiency

Leads to goiter, characterized by an enlarged neck.

Selenium Deficiency Symptoms

Trace mineral deficiency leading to white muscle disease in pigs and muscular dystrophy in lambs.

Iron Deficiency

Can cause anemia, especially in confined pigs.

Carnivores

Animals that primarily eat meat.

Herbivores

Animals that primarily eat plants.

Omnivores

Animals that consume both plant and animal matter.

Digestion

The process of breaking down large complex feed into simple, absorbable nutrients.

Absorption

The transportation of simple nutrients across the intestinal wall into the blood.

Pepsin

An enzyme secreted in the stomach to degrade proteins.

Ruminant Stomach

Stomach with four compartments: rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.

Symbiotic Relationship

Relationship where animals provide food for microbes and microbes offer nutritional benefits to the animal.

Omasum

Compartment of the ruminant stomach that absorbs water and minerals.

Abomasum

The true stomach of ruminants, functioning similarly to a monogastric stomach.

Pancreas

An organ that secretes digestive enzymes essential for digestion.

Large Intestine

The part of the digestive system responsible for minimal nutrient absorption and water reabsorption.

Rumen

The largest compartment of the ruminant stomach where microbial fermentation of feed occurs.

Reticulum

A compartment of the ruminant stomach, known for its honeycomb-like lining, that helps collect foreign objects and aids in rumination.

Monogastric Stomach

A single-chambered stomach, characteristic of non-ruminant animals like humans, pigs, and horses.

Small Intestine

The primary site for nutrient absorption, where most chemical digestion occurs with the help of enzymes from the pancreas and intestinal wall.

Mechanical Digestion

The physical breakdown of food into smaller pieces, such as chewing (mastication) or stomach churning.

Chemical Digestion

The breakdown of food on a molecular level by enzymes, acids, and other digestive juices.

Amylase

An enzyme found in saliva and pancreatic fluid that breaks down carbohydrates (starches) into simpler sugars.

Villi and Microvilli

Tiny, finger-like projections lining the small intestine that increase the surface area for efficient nutrient absorption.