ANSC 2120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Reticulorumen, Rumen, Abomasum
22 Feb 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Diverse morphology and feeding behavior: mature body weight ranges from ~3 to 1000 kg, in general, small ruminants (e. g. duiker) are more selective feeders but there are important exceptions (e. g. moose, diverse feeding behavior: Mixed (goat: feeding behavior is associated with physical adaptations in mouth shape and rumen digestive capacity. Rumination: reflex postprandial regurgitation of partly digested feed from the reticulorumen. Allows leisurely physical breakdown of fibrous feeds after long initial, hasty consumption. Copious saliva production: cattle produce up to 200 l (50 gallons) of saliva per day. Free communication with rumen (hence reticulorumen: rumen. Inner surface lined with papillae, increase absorptive surface area. Functions as a continuous culture fermentation system: omasum residual vfa, abomasum. Contains many leaf-like structures, pumps digesta from reticulorumen to abomasum. May filter large particles and absorb water and. Also secretes enzyme that breaks down bacterial cell walls. Passage implies disappearance of digesta from gut via physical and chemical breakdown and absorption.
