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Small Ruminant Management > Ruminant GI Tract > Flashcards

Ruminant GI Tract Flashcards

0
Q

Orientation of Stomach Compartments

A

Left side: Rumen, reticulum

Right side: Omasum, abomasum

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1
Q

How many permanent upper incisors does a 3 year old ewe have?

A

None. All ruminants have 0 because they have a dental pad.

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2
Q

Which side is a cannula always placed on and why?

A

Left. That’s where the rumen is.

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3
Q

What is secreted into the rumen?

A

Nothing.

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4
Q

Definition of Fermentation

A

Anaerobic digestion of feed material

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5
Q

The three types of microbes that live in the rumen

A

Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa

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6
Q

Which animal enzymes can digest fiber?

A

None. This is why bacteria especially are needed.

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7
Q

What is the main source of energy for ruminants?

A

VFAs–the microbial waste products.

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8
Q

Which microbe is primarily responsible for digesting the ruminant’s dietary fiber?

A

Bacteria

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9
Q

Characteristics of VFAs

A

Smell bad, soluble in water, volatilized easily.

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10
Q

Where do VFAs go once they are absorbed through the rumen wall?

A

Enter the portal vein and go to the liver.

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11
Q

What nutrients are absorbed through the rumen wall?

A

Only VFAs and water.

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12
Q

How many bacteria are in the rumen (per mL of rumen fluid)?

A

10 billion

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13
Q

How many protozoa are in the rumen (per mL of rumen fluid)?

A

100,000

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14
Q

How do fungi aid in feed digestion?

A

They grow “roots” that help break food particles apart.

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15
Q

Types of Rumen Bacteria

A

Hundreds and hundreds. The predominant type present will depend on what the animal is eating (grain vs. forage).

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16
Q

What are you really feeding when you feed ruminants?

A

The microbes

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17
Q

What pH level bothers the fiber-digesting bacteria?

A

Drops in pH below 6.0

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18
Q

Where can the bacteria be located in the rumen?

A

Free-floating, feed adherent, or along the edge of the rumen wall.

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19
Q

How much of the ruminal bacteria is feed adherent?

A

3/4 of it.

20
Q

What do feed adherent bacteria commonly digest?

A

Fibrous feeds

21
Q

What do free-floating bacteria commonly digest?

A

Starch and other soluble substrates.

22
Q

What types of bacteria live along the edge of the rumen wall?

A

Facultative.

23
Q

Characteristics of Facultative Bacteria

A

They CAN use oxygen. They have urease activity–they break amino groups off urea to make microbial protein.

24
Q

When does VFA build-up in the rumen occur?

A

Never since the VFAs are constantly absorbed through the rumen wall.

25
Q

The Three VFAs and the Number of Carbons in Each

A

Acetate (3 carbons), Propionate (2 carbons), and Butyrate (4 carbons)

26
Q

Predominant VFAs on a High Forage Diet

A

70% acetate
20% propionate
7% butyrate

27
Q

Predominant VFAs on High Concentrate Diet

A

55% acetate
35% propionate
7% butyrate
*Have same amount of acetate as on high forage diet but have more propionate also which makes total amount of VFAs higher on a largely grain diet because the grain is so fermentable

28
Q

Gases Produced During Fermentation

A

CO2 and CH4

29
Q

How are the gases produced during fermenation gotten rid of and why can it be a good and bad thing?

A

Eructation. Losing carbons means losing energy. Losing hydrogen is good because it prevents the pH from getting too low.

30
Q

What can the animal do with the VFAs?

A

Propionate: the liver converts it to glucose then sends it to tissues for use
Acetate: Goes directly to tissues for use, muscle uses it for main energy source
Butyrate: … it’s not glucogenic

31
Q

What bacteria provide to the ruminant animal?

A

VFAs for energy, vitamins (all B vitamins), high quality protein.

32
Q

What happens to the ruminal pH after the sheep/goat eats a meal?

A

The pH drops.

33
Q

What pH inhibits fiber-digesting bacteria?

A

pH below 6

34
Q

What are amylolytic bacteria and what pH are they sensitive to?

A

Starch-digesting bacteria, more sensitive to higher pHs, not inhibited by the lower pH of eating a meal.

35
Q

What enzyme is secreted in the abomasum?

A

Pepsin

36
Q

What happens in the abomasum?

A

Microbes are killed because of the low pH because of hydrochloric acid and they start to get digested with the animal’s feed.

37
Q

What enzymes are secreted in the small intestine and which ones are important?

A

Pancreatic lipase, pancreatic amylase, and pancreatic proteases. Only the proteases are really needed. Dietary protein and microbial protein must be broken down in the small intestine.

38
Q

What part of fat digestion/absorption takes place in the small intestine?

A

Fat is digested in the rumen and individual fatty acids are absorbed in the small intestine.

39
Q

How can fatty acids be broken apart?

A

Oxidation

40
Q

How are newborn ruminants considered according to their GI tract?

A

They are more like monogastrics since their rumen is not functioning.

41
Q

How long does it take for the rumen to develop?

A

6 weeks

42
Q

What stimulates ruminoreticulum development?

A

Eating fiber. The scratching of the solid feed stimulates the muscle contractions of the ruminoreticulum.

43
Q

What causes the papillae to grow?

A

VFAs

44
Q

What is another name for the reticular groove? What is the function of the reticular groove?

A

Esophageal groove. Milk bypasses the rumen via this groove and goes straight to abomasum to avoid being fermented in the rumen.

45
Q

How are nutrient requirements determined?

A

They are based on the intended purpose of the animal—>their production.

46
Q

What have dairy goats been genetically selected for? How are dairy goats fed?

A

High milk production and we feed them similar to dairy cows.

47
Q

What type of goats have lower nutrient requirements and why?

A

Brush/Spanish goats because they have fewer offspring and produce less milk.

Small Ruminant Management (3 decks)

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