Poultry Judging Practice Test

Which digestive organ is involved in both nutrient absorption and enzymatic breakdown of food in birds?

1. Crop

2. Gizzard

3. Intestine

4. Proventriculus

The correct answer is: Intestine

The intestine plays a crucial role in both the absorption of nutrients and the enzymatic breakdown of food in birds. After food passes through the proventriculus, where initial digestion occurs due to the action of gastric juices, it enters the intestine. In the intestine, various enzymes produced by the pancreas and the intestinal lining further break down the food particles, allowing for efficient absorption of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The structure of the intestine, with its villi and microvilli, increases the surface area for absorption, making it particularly effective in extracting nutrients from digested food. This dual function of enzymatic breakdown and nutrient absorption makes the intestine the key organ for these processes in the avian digestive system. Other organs like the crop, gizzard, and proventriculus have specific roles, such as storage, mechanical breakdown, and initial enzymatic action, but it is the intestine that performs the combined essential tasks of nutrient absorption and further enzymatic digestion.