Ruminant Digestive System

Question 1

Saliva is used as a buffer to?

Answer 1

Maintain rumen pH

Question 2

The esophagus opens up into what compartments?

Answer 2

Rumen and reticulum compartments

Question 3

The esophagus opens up into what compartment after 6-8 weeks of age?

Answer 3

The rumen compartment

Question 4

The esophagus opens up into what compartment before 6-8 Weeks of age?

Answer 4

The reticulum compartment

Question 5

What 4 compartments does the stomach divide into?

Answer 5

1. Rumen
2. Reticulum
3. Omasum
4. Abomasum

Question 6

How big is the rumen?

Answer 6

It almost fills the entire left side of the abdominal cavity?

Question 7

Ruminants do what to the bolus (cud) and chew undigested food?

Answer 7

Regurgitate

Question 8

What are the ruminants called until theyre about 6-8 weeks of age?

Answer 8

Functional monogastrics

Question 9

Why are ruminants called functional monogastrics before they reach 6-8 weeks of age?

Answer 9

Their rumens are not fully developed yet

Question 10

The rumen is what at birth?

Answer 10

very underdeveloped

Question 11

What is the reticulum commonly known as?

Answer 11

The honeycomb or hardware store because it traps nails, wire, and metal to protect the rumen from puncture

Question 12

What does the reticulum do in young calves?

Answer 12

It helps move ingesta into the omasum

Question 13

Are enzymes secreted in the reticulum?

Answer 13

No

Question 14

**How does food pass through the digestive system in young calves?

Answer 14

1. Food passes through the esophagus and into the esophageal groove
2. It then goes into the reticulum bypassing the rumen because it is not fully developed

Question 15

**When does the esophageal groove close?

Answer 15

6-8 weeks of age

Question 16

The esophageal groove moves ingesta directly from the what into the what in young calves?

Answer 16

1. Reticulum
2. Omasum

Question 17

Mature rumen walls contain what to propel feed?

Answer 17

Papillae

Question 18

The rumen has no what, but is has micro flora action?

Answer 18

Enzyme secretions

Question 19

The rumen has no enzyme secretions, but it does have what?

Answer 19

micro flora action

Question 20

What type of compartment is the rumen?

Answer 20

A large, hollow, muscular compartment

Question 21

What are the functions of the rumen?

Answer 21

1. It stores ingested food
2. It soaks ingesta
3. It physically mixed and breaks down ingesta
4. Its the fermentation chamber

Question 22

What two things are needed in the fermentation chamber?

Answer 22

1. Bacteria
2. Protozoa

Question 23

The omasum has short and blunt what?

Answer 23

Papillae

Question 24

What is the function of the omasum?

Answer 24

It reduces particle size of ingesta and H2O absorption

Question 25

You need bacteria and Protozoa in the fermentation chamber. True or False

Answer 25

True, they work together

Question 26

Anaerobic fermentation results in?

Answer 26

1. Synthesis of H2O soluble vitamins and Vitamin K 2. Synthesis of amino acids and protien 3. Bacterial enzymes breakdown fibrous feeds CHO (carbs) and VFA (volatile fatty acids)

Question 27

Ruminants take CHO and bacteria/protozoa and turn them into what?

Answer 27

Volatile fatty acids during fermentation process, then enzymes turn the VFA's into glucose, which is turned into energy

Question 28

Are the enzymes secreted in the omasum?

Answer 28

No

Question 29

Are enzymes secreted in the abomasum?

Answer 29

Yes

Question 30

What is the abomasum comparable to?

Answer 30

The simple stomach in monogastrics

Question 31

What is the ONLY place enzymes are secreted in the ruminant digestive system?

Answer 31

The abomasum

Question 32

After the abomasum, how does the ruminant digestive system work?

Answer 32

Just like the monogastric system

Question 33

What are some ruminant animals?

Answer 33

Cattle, sheep, goats

Question 34

Ruminants have no what?

Answer 34

Upper incisors

Question 35

Ruminants use what type of jaw movement to shred fibrous feeds?

Answer 35

Lateral

Question 36

Ruminants have what saliva production?

Answer 36

Continuous

Question 37

How much saliva does an adult cow and sheep produce daily?

Answer 37

Cow: 12gal/day Sheep: 2gal/day

Question 38

Continuous saliva production is necessary in ruminants for?

Answer 38

Bacterial action on feed

Question 39

Ruminant saliva has no what?

Answer 39

enzymes

Question 40

Ruminant animals eat forages how fast?

Answer 40

Rapidly

Question 41

What is the structure where bacteria and protozoa thrive to ferment and breakdown roughages to obtain nutrients?

Answer 41

Rumen

Question 42

What do the microorganisms do in the rumen?

Answer 42

Digest cellulose and synthesize amino acids from nonprotein nitrogen

Question 43

What is the "true stomach" in a ruminant?

Answer 43

The abomasum because it corresponds with the stomach of a monogastric

Question 44

Where does pre-digestive fermentation of feed occur?

Answer 44

In the rumen and reticulum

Question 45

What happens when feed passes through the abomasum?

Answer 45

Strong acids destroy the bacteria and protozoa

Question 46

What are volatile fatty acids?

Answer 46

Waste products of microbial fermentation carbohydrates that are produced during rumen fermentation

Question 47

What do animals use volatile fatty acids for?

Answer 47

Their major energy source

Question 48

When milk enters the mouth in a calf, where does it go?

Answer 48

Into the esophagus, then through the esophageal groove, then into the abomasum

Question 49

If young calves are forced to consume forage, what happens?

Answer 49

Their rumens will develop quicker

Question 50

What Enzyme do ruminants not secrete?

Answer 50

Salivary amylase