Lab 3024
Comparative Digestive Systems
This lab is designed to compare the feed intake of the monogastric digestive system and
the avian digestive system. Recall that the monogastric digestive system has a stomach
that secretes hydrochloric acid to break down nutrients and a churning action that mixes
the food. On the contrary, an avian digestive system contains a crop, which stores and
moistens the food and a two-part stomach. A proventriculus, which functions similar to
the monogastric stomach and a gizard which, is used to grind the food.
Obtain a monogastric system and an avian digestive system from local processing plants.
Cut open the monogastric stomach and examine the particles inside. Now examine the
avian digestive system. Notice how the crop stores the food and it is in the swallowed
state. The proventriculus should contain food similar in state to the monogastric stomach
and the gizard should grind the food into smaller pieces. Compare how the food is broken
down in the three parts of the avian digestive system in contrast to the single part of the
monogastric system.
Tools needed: digestive systems of an avian and a monogastric system, scaple, plastic
gloves extending past elbow.
Name:__________________
Date:___________________
Hour:___________________
Comparative Digestive Systems
3024C
Lab
1. Inspect the different kinds of food found in the stomachs of the two various species.
List the different types of food found.
2. Where is the food broken down in the two different digestive systems. What
characteristics break the food down? (chemical, mechanical)