Digestion Process in Ruminants

Ruminant

Largest group of herbivorous mammals.

Complex stomach

Four compartments for specialized digestion.

Rumen

Main site for anaerobic fermentation.

Reticulum

Pacemaker for rumen contractions.

Omasum

Regulates particle size before abomasum.

Abomasum

True stomach with gastric secretions.

Dental pad

Tissue replacing upper incisors in ruminants.

Volatile Fatty Acids

Produced by rumen microorganisms during fermentation.

Papillae

Finger-like projections increasing rumen surface area.

Esophageal groove

Bypasses rumen for milk in young ruminants.

Rumination

Process of regurgitating and re-chewing food.

Cecum

Site for post-gastric fermentation in ruminants.

Saliva

Moistens food and buffers rumen pH.

Microbial action

Occurs in reticulum for VFA absorption.

Anaerobic fermentation

Fermentation process without oxygen.

Stratified squamous epithelium

Non-glandular lining of forestomachs.

Regurgitation

Bringing food back to mouth for reprocessing.

Remastication

Chewing food again after regurgitation.

Gastric juice

Secretions in abomasum for digestion.

Water absorption

Occurs in large intestine after digestion.

Cellulolytic digestion

Breakdown of cellulose in cecum and colon.

Heavy particles

Sink to bottom of reticulum during mixing.