Lecture 6 Flashcards
Ruminant Maxillary Incisor Teeth
Absent in ruminants.
Depend on dental pad, lower incisors, lips & tongue for prehension.
Molars shaped for one-sided chewing.
Ruminant Lateral Jaw Movements
Aid in shredding tough plant fibers.
Saliva production in ruminants
Continuous
Functions similarly to non-ruminants.
Increased quantities during eating/ruminating
Composition of Saliva
Source of nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium.
Highly buffered for rumen microorganisms.
Production Volume of Saliva
Cows: 150L or more daily.
Sheep: 10L or more daily.
Major Modifications of Ruminant Stomach
One stomach, four compartments.
Reticulum, Rumen, Omasum, Abomasum.
Compartments in Pseudo-Ruminants
No omasum (Camels, others).
Size Comparison of Ruminant Stomach
Cattle stomach: 37% of GIT, 25% of total BW.
Holds up to 55 gallons.
Epithelium in First 3 Compartments
Squamous epithelium, 1-2 cells thick.
Allows absorption.
Pre-Gastric Fermentation
60-70% fermented before typical digestion.
The reticulum is the
First Compartment
Honeycomb-like luminal surface.
Traps sharp objects, may cause hardware disease.
Functions of Reticulum
Moves ingested food.
Assists in regurgitation.
The rumen is the
Second Compartment
-Largest, lined with papillae.
-Strong muscular pillars for mixing and regurgitation.
The omasum is the
Third Compartment
-Spherical shape.
-Side leaves prevent large particles from entering the abomasum.
The Abomasum is the
Fourth Compartment
-Comparable to glandular stomach of non-ruminants.
The Reticular Groove
In Young Nursing Ruminants
-Forms a tube from esophagus to omasum.
-Allows milk to escape bacterial fermentation.
Rumination is basically a controlled form of vomiting
Forms bolus in reticulum.
Re-swallows liquid portion.
Re-masticates solid bolus.
Duration of Rumination
8 hrs/day or more.
Stimulated by fibrous diets.
Eruction or Belching of Gas
Result of microbial fermentation.
Prevents bloat.
Rumen Fermentation - Carbohydrates
Composition of Herbivore Diet
Mostly fibrous and available carbs.
Ruminal Acidosis
Result of abnormal fermentation of cereal grains.
High lactic acid production.
Rumen Fermentation - Proteins
Attack on Dietary Proteins
Degraded to ammonia and organic acids.
Utilized by other rumen microbes.
Protein sources for ruminants
Urea, amino acids, nitrates, biuret, amines.
Lower-cost alternatives.
Consumption of lipids (ruminants)
Low, added at 5-7% of the total diet.
Usually unsaturated.
