Whole Process of Nutrition in Animals
You would have studied that green plants can prepare their own food by the process of photosynthesis. Unlike plants, animal cannot prepare their own food they need ready made food. They take food from plants and other animals which eat plants. Most of animals however it both plant food as well as animal food. You know that all organisms including human being require food for obtaining energy repairing damaged part of their body growth and carrying out life processes. The process of taking in a food by man in the direction absorption and utilization in the body is called animal nutrition.
What is Nutrition
Nutrition is the science that deals with food and how it is used by the body. Nutrition in animals is the process by which they obtain the nutrients they need to grow, reproduce, and maintain their health. The nutrients that animals need include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.
Steps in the Process of Nutrition
The first step is to understand the animal’s nutritional needs. This will vary depending on the animal’s species, age, health, and activity level. The next step is to select a food that meets those needs.
Once you have selected a food, you will need to calculate the proper amount to feed the animal. This includes taking into account any other sources of nutrition the animal may have, such as grazing on grass or eating insects. After the food is prepared, it is time to feed the animal.
Ingestion
The first step of nutrition in animals is ingestion, or taking food into the body. The mouth is the primary site of ingestion, and different animals have different types of mouths for different types of diets. For example, carnivores have sharp teeth for tearing flesh, while herbivores have flat teeth for grinding plants. Once food enters the mouth, it is mixed with saliva, which contains enzymes that begin to break down the food.
Different ways of taking food inside body for Nutrition
There are many ways that animals can take food inside their bodies. Some animals, like humans, use their mouths to chew and swallow food. Other animals, like snakes, use their tongues to lap up food. Still other animals, like birds, use their beaks to peck at food. And finally, some animals, like insects, use their proboscises to suck up food.
Digestion
The first step of digestion is the cephalic phase, which is the anticipation of food. This occurs when we see, smell, or think about food and our digestive system gets ready for it. The second step is ingestion, or when we actually take the food into our body. Once the food is in our stomach, it mixes with gastric juices to start breaking down. The next step is propulsion, which is when the stomach contracts and pushes the food towards the small intestine.
Absorption
The process of absorption begins with the consumption of food. Once food enters the animal’s body, it is broken down into smaller molecules by enzymes. These smaller molecules are then transported across the cell membrane and into the cells where they are used for energy or to build new tissue. The cell membrane is selectively permeable, meaning that it allows some molecules to pass through while keeping others out.
Assimilation
The process of assimilation begins with the animal eating food. The food is then broken down by the animal’s digestive system and absorbed into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the nutrients are taken to the cells where they are used for energy, growth, and repair. The process of assimilation is complete when the animal excretes any unused nutrients. As animals age, their ability to digest food decreases which leads to a decrease in assimilation. Also, many mammals only have one stomach compartment while some birds and fish have four stomach compartments. Finally, while plants use sunlight as an energy source (photosynthesis), animals use chemical reactions from their internal organs like the liver or pancreas.
Egestion
The undigested and unabsorbed part of food which cannot be utilised by the body need to be removed from the body. The process in which the understand food is removed from the body is called Egestion.
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