Understanding Ruminant Digestion

These flashcards cover key concepts related to ruminant digestion, including the processes and structures involved in rumination and fermentation.

Ruminate

Animals that can regurgitate and re-chew their food, such as cows and sheep.

Cud

The wad of food that ruminants bring back from the stomach to chew again.

Fermentation

The breakdown of plant material or cellulose by microbes in the stomach of ruminants.

Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs)

Short-chain fatty acids produced by the fermentation process that serve as a primary energy source for ruminants.

Methane

A gas produced as a byproduct of fermentation in ruminants.

Eruptation

Controlled belching by ruminants to release gas from the rumen.

Fiber Raft

The layer of floating plant material in the rumen that separates the solids from the liquid.

Abomasum

The true stomach of ruminants, where digestive enzymes break down food.

Esophageal Groove

A structure that allows milk to bypass the rumen and go directly to the abomasum in young ruminants.

Hardware Disease

A condition in ruminants caused by ingesting sharp metal objects that can puncture the reticulum.

Displaced Abomasum

A condition where the abomasum fills with gas and shifts position, often requiring surgical correction.

Symbiotic Relationship

The interaction between ruminants and the microbes in their rumen, where both benefit from the nutrients produced.