Mouth (Oral Cavity)
● A ruminant uses its mouth and tongue to harvest forages during grazing or to
consume harvested feedstuffs.
● The site of the initial stage of digestion
● The roof of the ruminant mouth is a hard/soft palate without incisors. The lower jaw
incisors work against this hard dental pad.The incisors of grass/roughage selectors
are wide with a shovel-shaped crown, whereas those of concentrate selectors are
narrower and chisel-shaped.
● Forage and feed mixes with saliva containing sodium, potassium, phosphate,
bicarbonate, and urea when consumed to form a bolus.
Burp
● Release of gas from the stomach through the mouth
● Food particles are digested by a process of fermentation. Methane gas is produced,
which is released through burping/eructation by the cow. If the gas is not released,
the cow will become bloated and potentially die.
The rumen (paunch)
● The rumen is the largest compartment of the stomach in ruminants, and it acts as a
fermentation vat.
● It has a large microbial population, including bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, which play
a crucial role in breaking down complex carbohydrates into simpler compounds.
● Microbes in the rumen help in the digestion of cellulose and hemicellulose, which are
components of plant cell walls that are difficult for most animals to digest.
The reticulum (“honeycomb”)
The reticulum is the second compartment of the ruminant stomach. It is a honeycomb-like
structure and is also known as the "honeycomb stomach." The reticulum plays a role in the
regurgitation and re-chewing of the partially digested food, helping to further break it down
before it moves on to the next compartments of the stomach for final digestion.
Omasum
● Third compartment of the stomach
● Spherical or bean-shaped that is connected to the reticulum
● Also called as “manyplies” or “butcher’s bible”
● The main function of omasum is water and nutrient absorption.
Abomasum
● It is considered as the “true stomach” of a ruminant.
● This is the compartment that is most similar to a monogastric stomach.
● It secretes hydrochloric acid (HCI) and digestive enzymes.
● This is where the digestion of microbial and dietary protein begins.
● It secretes mucus to protect its wall from acid damage.
Small Intestine
● Site of further digestion and absorption of certain products of the stomach digestion;
sections: duodenum, jejunum, ileum
● About 40 meters long
● Surface is covered by villi (finger-like projections.)
Three regions of the Small Intestine
a. Duodenum
● contains duodenal glands or brunner’s gland
● the fixed region of the SI
● regularly shaped, blunt and wide villi
b. Jejunum
● has no glands
● the longest region of the SI
● long, slender and smaller leaf-like villi
c. Ileum
● has no glands
● contains Peyer’s patches
● club shaped villi
Large Intestine
● site of water absorption; storage of waste material and bacterial digestion of fiber;
sections: cecum, colon, rectum
● Has a small number of microbes used to help absorb remaining nutrients.
● Any remaining material that passes out the LI are stored in the rectum until it is
passed out.
Three regions of the Large Intestine
a. Cecum
● blind sac projecting from the LI near the ileo-caecal junction
● located at the junction of the small and large intestine
● houses certain bacterial populations that can break down some remaining complex
carbohydrates, particularly cellulose, and extract additional nutrients like short-chain
fatty acids. These fatty acids contribute to the animal's energy needs.
b. Colon
● longest region of the LI
● divided into:
○ Ascending - responsible for mixing and churning digesta for further bacterial
fermentation.
○ Transverse - absorbs some remaining water and electrolytes from the
digesta,
○ Descending - continues absorbing water and electrolytes, further solidifying
the digesta before reaching the rectum for elimination.
c. Rectum
● short segment between the colon and anus
● wall is similar to the first two except for the folded mucosa and presence of numerous
goblet cells
Anus
● It is a circular muscle located at the end of the digestive tract. The large intestine
absorbs water and minerals and it also stores the undigested material from the
digestive system – faeces. Faeces are expelled through the anus.
● Is an opening at the far-end of the digestive tract and is the exit point for the waste
material.
●
