Nutrition in Animals

Definition of Animal Nutrition

Animal nutrition is the process by which animals obtain and use food to provide energy, growth, repair, and maintenance.

Types of Nutrition

• Herbivores: Animals that eat only plants (e.g., cow, goat).
• Carnivores: Animals that eat other animals (e.g., lion, snake).
• Omnivores: Animals that eat both plants and animals (e.g., human, pig).

Digestive System Overview

• Mouth: mechanical breakdown and saliva enzymes.
• Esophagus: transports food to the stomach.
• Stomach: mechanical and chemical digestion.
• Small Intestine: absorption of nutrients.
• Large Intestine: water absorption and formation of feces.
• Accessory Organs: liver (bile production), pancreas (enzymes), gall bladder (bile storage).

Nutrient Absorption

• Villi in small intestine increase surface area for absorption.
• Absorbed nutrients enter blood capillaries and transported to body cells.

Practice Questions

• Define nutrition in animals. (2 marks)
• Differentiate between herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. (6 marks)
• List the main parts of the human digestive system and their functions. (6 marks)
• Explain how nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine. (4 marks)
• Short answer: Give one example of an omnivorous animal in Cameroon. (2 marks)