Ruminants and Their Digestive Systems

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to ruminants and their digestive systems, providing definitions and explanations relevant to the subject.

Ruminant

A type of herbivore that has a specialized digestive system with four stomach compartments: reticulum, rumen, omasum, and abomasum.

Cellulose

A complex carbohydrate that makes up plant cell walls; largely insoluble and difficult for omnivores to digest without cellulase.

VFAs

Volatile fatty acids produced by the fermentation of cellulose by microbes; includes acetic acid, butyric acid, and propanoic acid.

Herbivore

An animal that primarily consumes plants.

Symbiosis

A mutually beneficial relationship between different organisms; in ruminants, this refers to the relationship with microbes that help digest plant material.

Ingestion

The process of taking in food; ruminants utilize a side-to-side chewing motion to grind food down.

Microbial protein

Protein derived from the dead microbes in the ruminant's digestive system, captured in the abomasum and small intestine.

Abomasum

The fourth chamber of a ruminant's stomach where enzymatic digestion occurs, similar to a human stomach.

Cellulase

An enzyme produced by certain microorganisms that breaks down cellulose into simpler sugars.

Digestion Process

The series of processes that break down food into nutrients, including mechanical breakdown and biochemical digestion.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of sugar molecules, which include starch and cellulose, that are broken down during digestion.

Munchies

Informal term used to describe food; here, it refers to the nutrients required for ruminant microbial digestion.

Cooking

A method of preparing food that can help break down cellulose in plants, making nutrients more available.

Bypass protein

Special feed ingredients in ruminants that are encapsulated to avoid breakdown in the rumen and be digested in the intestine.

Psyllium fibre

A type of fiber derived from the psyllium seed coat, beneficial for digestive health.

Digestive Anatomy

The structure of the digestive system and its components, important for understanding how different parts function in digestion.