1 Quart= 0.

946 litre
Digestion Fore gut Capacity % of Gastrointestinal
system
Enzymatic Stomach 6-15 litres 8%
digestion Duodenum, 68 litres 30%
jejunum, ileum ( 21
meter)
Caecum ( 12 28-36 litres 15%
meter)
Large colon ( Right 86 litres 38%
Microbial digestion Ventral, Left
Ventral and Dorsal
colon) (3-3.5
meter)
Small colon (3-3.5 16 litres 9%
meter)
 Stomach has 3 part:- Cadiac , fundic and pyloric
 Under normal circumstances, as the hydrochloric acid
mixes in with the stomach ingesta, the pH drops,
fermentation slows down and eventually stops.
 In the fundic part pH level decreases to around 5.4 and
fermentation begins to halt. Stomach acid initiates the
digestion and degradation of lipids (fats).

 Fat digestion involves hydrolyses of dietary

triacylglycerols into fatty acids and mono-acylglycerols,
which together with bile acids, cholesterol and
phospholipids, form micelles.
 Equine bile contains Lecithin (5.6%), cholesterol (4.4%),
and conjugated bile salts (90%). (Engelking et al.,
1989).
 Lipases and bile from the liver is added to emulsify and
to suspend the fat in water.
 Bile constantly flows into the small intestine from the
liver as the gall bladder in absent in horse.
 Fat feeding stimulates the secretion of bile (Kolb and
Guntler, 1971; Meyer et al., 1997).
 The micelles diffuse through the small intestinal
contents and the unstirred water layer of the villi and
their constituents are taken up by the enterocytes.
 In the epithelial cells of the small intestine
chylomicrons formed by triacylglycerols,
phospholipids, cholesterol esters and apoproteins.
 The chylomicrons (diameter > 75 nm) are released into
the lymphatic system which drains into the main
circulation via Ductus thoracicus.
 Through the action of lipoprotein lipase (LPL),
chylomicrons and VLDL get rid off their esterified fatty
acids which are taken up by tissues.
 Adipoae tissue synthesizes fatty acids and stores
them as triacylglycerols.
 Glucagon activates a hormone-sensitive lipase, which
hydrolyse triacylglycerols yielding glycerol and fatty
acids. These are then released into the bloodstream.
 The caecum is odd in design because
its entrance and exit are both at the
top of the organ.
 This means that the feed enters at the
top, mixes throughout, and is then
expelled up at the top.
 This design is the cause of problems if
an animal eats a lot of dry feeds
without adequate water or if a rapid
change of diet occurs.
 Here microbial digestion takes place
rather than enzymatic digestion.
 The large colon consists of the right and left ventral
colons and dorsal colon.
 The ventral colons have a "sacculated" construction
that resembles a series of pouches.
 This design facilitates the digestion of large quantities
of fibrous materials but due to its design can become a
large risk factor for colic.
 Absorption of fatty acid and glycerol majorly take place
in this area.
 The main function of the small colon is to reclaim
excess moisture and return it to the body. This results in
feacal balls being formed.
 The last part of digestive tract from where faecal
material passes out from the body.
Eicosanoids Triacylglycerol Phospholipids
Esterification Lipolysis

Fatty acids

Lipogenesis ß oxidation
Diet Acetyl co A
Ketogenesis
Oxidation
Ketone bodies
Citric
acid
cycle
 Initial Step: Requires an ATP to synthesize
acetyl CoA with the fatty acid.
 Palmitic Acid is C-16
 Initiating Step - requires 1 ATP (text says 2)
 Step 1 - FAD into electrone transport chain = 2 ATP
 Step 3 - NAD+ into electrone transport chain = 3 ATP
 Total ATP per turn of spiral = 5 ATP
 Example with Palmitic Acid = 16 carbons = 8 acetyl
groups
 Number of turns of fatty acid spiral = 8-1 = 7 turns
 ATP from fatty acid spiral = 7 turns and 5 per turn = 35
ATP.
 NET ATP from Fatty Acid Spiral = 35 - 1 = 34 ATP
 NET ATP - Fatty Acid Spiral = 35 - 1 = 34 ATP
 Review ATP - Citric Acid Cycle start with Acetyl CoA
 Step ATP produced
 7 visible ATP 1
 Step 4 (NAD+ to electrone transport chain) 3
 Step 6 (NAD+ to electrone transport chain) 3
 Step10 (NAD+ to electrone transport chain) 3
 Step 8 (FAD to electrone transport chain) 2
 NET 12 ATP per turn C.A.C.
 8 Acetyl CoA = 8 turns TCA
 8 turns x 12 ATP/TCA = 96 ATP
 GRAND TOTAL 130 ATP