|
|
| (23 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | {{OpenPagesTop}}
| + | <big><center>[[Alimentary - Anatomy & Physiology|'''BACK TO ALIMENTARY - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY''']]</center></big> |
| − | ==Introduction==
| + | <big><center>[[Hindgut Fermenters - Anatomy & Physiology|'''BACK TO HINDGUT FERMENTERS - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY''']]</center></big> |
| − | | |
| − | Elephant anatomy is very much comparable to the [[Alimentary System - Horse Anatomy|horse]] and [[Rabbit Alimentary System|rabbit]]. Microbes are present in the hindgut that produce [[Volatile Fatty Acids|Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs)]]. VFAs make a substantial contribution to the elephant's total energy requirements. Food has a relatively fast transit time and as a result, elephants have a low digestive efficiency (44% as opposed to 60% in [[Alimentary System - Horse Anatomy|horses]]). A fast transit time is achieved by a short GIT, reduced [[Caecum - Anatomy & Physiology|caecum]] and increased GIT diameter. Their digestive strategy is to pass as large a quantity of low quality food through their digestive tract within a short period of time.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==Features==
| |
| − | | |
| − | An elephant's natural diet is high in fibre (36%) and low in protein (7-10%). Juvenile elephants require 3 kg of feed per 100kg of body weight per day. The passage time of food through the gastrointestinal tract ranges from 18 to 24 hours. They have no [[Gall Bladder - Anatomy & Physiology|gall bladder]] and their taenia and sacculations are not as clearly defined as in the horse.
| |
| − | | |
| − | {{OpenPages}}
| |
| − | [[Category:Alimentary System - Anatomy & Physiology]] | |
| − | [[Category:Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology]]
| |
| − | [[Category:A&P Done]]
| |