GIT species comparison- ruminants

what does a complex stomach contain?

glandular and non-glandular parts

what are the 3 main areas of the forestomach?

rumen

reticulum

omasum

where does the reticulum lie?

medial to the 6th and 8th ribs on the left side

where does the omasum lie?

in the lower part of the cranial abdomen between the reticulum and the abomasum

where does the abomasum lie?

largely on the abdominal floor at about the midline

what are the 3 main parts of the abomasum?

fundus

body

pyloric portion

what is the function of the longitudinal pillars?

they divide the dorsal and ventral ruminal sacs

what is the function of the caudal pillar

separates the blind sacs

what is the function of the cranial pillar?

separates the cranial sac from the dorsal and ventral sacs

what kind of appearance does the reticulum have?

honeycomb

what is the gastric groove?

two spiral muscular folds which form a passageway from the cardia to the abomasum

what is the function of the gastric groove?

is allows ingested milk to bypass the forestomach to avoid fermentation

this bypass is used less as the diet changes

what is the importance of the vagus nerve?

it is involved in sensory and motor pathways

it controls the contractions of the rumen and reticulum

what is the importance of the enteric nervous system?

in interacts with the intestinal microbes, intestinal immune system and the endocrine system