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Alimentary System - Horse Anatomy (view source)
Revision as of 21:35, 7 November 2012
, 21:35, 7 November 2012→Large Intestine
==Small Intestine==
==Small Intestine==
==Large Intestine==
==Large Intestine==
===Introduction===
The horse is a monagastric hindgut fermenter. The horse evolved for grazing and it does so for up to 17 hours a day. A high proportion of the horse's dietary carbohydrate is in the form of '''starch'''. A mature horse eats 2-2.5% of it's body weight in dry matter every day, 1.5-1.75% of this should be fibre (hay/haylage). This is to prevent a rapid drop in pH in the large intestine and also to stimulate peristalsis in the gut and prevent build up of gas.
Undigested material spends a long time in the [[Caecum - Anatomy & Physiology|caecum]] and [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]] being digested by microbial fermentation, mainly cellulose (95% after 65 hours).
In the hindgut of the horse; 75-85% of insoluble carbohydrates is digested, 15-30% of soluble carbohydrates and 30% of protein digestion. A lot of absorption of [[Volatile Fatty Acids|volatile fatty acids (VFAs)]] and water occurs in the large intestine which pass readily into the blood. Electrolytes are also absorbed in the large intestine; 95% of sodium and chloride and 75% of potassium and phosphate.
To mix the contents of the large intestines, the taenia and circular muscle of the tunica muscularis contract. This also transports the ingesta through the large intestine and brings the products of fermentation in contact with the epithelium.
==Liver==
==Liver==
==Pancreas==
==Pancreas==