Page 111 - Agriculture_Form_Three

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Ruminants are the animals with complex stomach that their fore-stomach is divided
into four sections. They are able to utilise nutrients from plant-based feed by breaking
down the carbohydrate materials including cellulose in their specialised stomach,
principally through microbial actions. Examples are cattle, sheep and goats. Non-
ruminants are the animals with simple stomach, for example, pigs and chicken. The

animals with this kind of digestion are also termed as monogastrics.
It has to be noted that animals such as rabbit, donkey and horse are non-ruminants,
however, their diet is principally based on forages. This is because they can use
their hind-gut (with a large caecum) to ferment cellulose from fibrous plant into

simple carbon compounds. Their digestive system is called hind gut fermentation.
The animals with this kind of digestion are termed as monogastric herbivores.

In next sections, you shall learn about the digestive system and digestion in these
groups that comprise of livestock raised in our farms.
Digestive system and digestion in ruminants

The ruminant digestive tract is divided into six segments, that is, mouth, oesophagus,
stomach, small intestines, large intestines and anus (refer to Figure 5.1).

Large Small Oesophagus
intestine intestine Rumen

Mouth
Anus Reticulum

Abomasum
Omasum

Figure 5.1: Digestive system of ruminants

The mouth: This is provided with teeth specially adapted for chewing fibrous
materials. Ruminants have no canines but have strong incisors instead designed for
gripping and pulling the fodder during grazing. In the mouth, the feed is thoroughly
grinded and chewed.

The oesophagus: This is a long muscular tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
It has strong muscles that propel the feed downwards into the rumen during

Student’s Book Form Three
100

10/01/2025 12:31
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 100
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 100 10/01/2025 12:31