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DIGESTION IN RUMINANT ANIMALS

CONTENT

Digestion in Ruminant Animals

Ruminants have the ability to digest cellulose and their stomach is divided in four chambers which include the rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum.

Mouth: This consists of teeth, tongue, and salivary gland. The ruminant gathers grass with its tongue, holds it tightly with the teeth and jaw and pulls off a small quantity, which is hurriedly chewed before swallowing. This does not give room for digestive enzymes in the mouth to action food at this stage.
Oesophagus: Food passes from mouth into the rumen through the oesophagus.
Rumen: The first stomach where certain cellulose bacteria act on the grasses and convert them into starch. The rumen can also be used for the temporary storage of food if the rumen is allowed to feed for long time.
Reticulum
Intestine
Ileum
Colon
Caecum: This area houses some symbiotic bacteria called fibre-digesting bacteria or cellulolytic bacteria (Ruminococcus flavefacians, Ruminococcus albus, Bacteriodes succinogenes, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens) which help in the digestion of cellulose.

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