A monogastric animal is an animal that has a simple, single-chambered stomach. This type of digestive system consists of one stomach compartment and a relatively short digestive tract. Monogastric animals typically include humans, dogs, cats, pigs, horses, and birds. They rely on enzymatic digestion to break down food in the stomach and small intestine. Unlike ruminants, such as cows and sheep, monogastric animals do not have a specialized compartment for microbial fermentation, and their main mode of digestion is through the action of gastric enzymes.
