export_ruminant nutrition Flashcards
4 Stomach compartments of a ruminant?
reticulum; rumen; omasum; abomasum
Primary site of microbial digestion?
rumen
Purpose of honeycomb structure in reticulum?
acts as sieve and prohibits larger particles from moving further down the digestive tract
Primary organ of rumination?
reticulum
Purpose of Rumination (3)
ingest feed rapidly and chew later; reduce particle size so microbes can better utilize forage; increase saliva production
Saliva is rich in:
sodium, phosphate, and bicarbonate
Major source of buffering by neutralizing the acids produced during fermentation?
Bicarbonate
Main function of ruminal papillae?
absorb VFAs
Acts as a pump to transfer digesta from reticulum to abomasum?
omasum
Absorbs water, VFAs, and bicarbonate
Omasum
“true stomach”
absomasum
Stomach wall secretes enzymes (HCl, pepsinogen, zymogen prorennin) in which compartment?
abomasum
Order of substance in rumen top to bottom?
gas (CO2, CH4); fiber mat; fluid fraction
Fluid Fraction Components:
bacteria, protozoan, fungi
pH of fiber digesters?
6.2-6.8
Which rumen digesters respond slowly to change?
fiber digesters
Starch digesters like pH of what?
5.2-6
Which ruminal digesters respond quickly to change?
starch
Ruminal microbes from most abundant to least?
Bacteria, protozoa, fungi
What happens to rumen protozoa if pH is below 5.5?
population is wiped out but does not change performance of animal
T or F: Rumen fungi decrease in numbers in cattle on high fiber diets.
False; increase
T or F: Rumen fungi are anaerobic.
True
Non-structural Carbohydrate Components?
simple sugars; starches; fructans; organic acids
Structural Carbohydrates
cellulose; hemicellulose; pectin; lignin
Difference in bonding between non-structural and structural carbohydrates?
non-structural = alpha structural = beta
Starch (ruminant) molecules are digested by:
microbial or mammalian enzymes