THE PASSAGE WAY OF OUR FOOD!!
I spoke to the wise owl yesterday night, and i managed to learn some new facts about my digestive system. So I thought that I would post up the things that I learnt today
I spoke to the wise owl yesterday night, and i managed to learn some new facts about my digestive system. So I thought that I would post up the things that I learnt today
Food is consumed through the mouth and mixed thoroughly with the saliva. Then the food passes through the oesophagus into the stomach
STOMACH PART 1(RUMEN)
In the rumen, the food is fermented, which includes the breaking down of cellulose, carbohydrates and fibre.
The rumen is the largest compartment, and it contains billions of bacteria,protozoa, molds and yeasts. These micro-organisms are the reason why we can eat and digest large amounts of roughage. The micro-organisms in the rumen are adaptable enough that cows can digest a large variety of cuds from grass, hay, and corn to brewer’s grains, corn stalks, silage, and even urea. (That may be gross to you humans, but hey, we're still eating it!)
The bacteria and protozoa do most of the digestion of food for us. There are about 25 to 50 billion bacteria and 200 to 500 thousand protozoa in every milliliter of the rumen fluid. The micro-organisms digest the plant fiber and produce volatile fatty acids. These fatty acids are absorbed directly through the rumen wall and supply 60 to 80 % of the energy needed by cows. In addition, the micro-organisms produce protein including amino acids from the protein and nitrogen we ingests. As microbes can use nitrogen to make proteins, cows eat urea and other sources of non-protein nitrogen that would kill non-ruminants. The microbes also make vitamins B and C.
When cows chew their cud, they are regurgitating a bolus of incompletely chewed feed. In order for the microbes to digest fiber rapidly and efficiently it must be in small pieces, so we re-chew our food several times. When cows “lose their cud”, it is an indication that they have a digestive upset, and their rumen is not functioning properly.
Although rumen microbes can digest a great variety of different feeds, they are very sensitive to drastic changes in feeds. Some groups of microbes are better at digesting fibers, whereas others are better at digesting starch grains. Changing rapidly from a fiber-based diet to a grain-based diet causes millions of fiber-digesting microbes to die-off as they cannot digest the starch, and there are too few starch-digesting microbes to use the grain so the grain sours in the rumen. As a result, the rumen's pH decreases, and the rumen stops working. Thus resulting in us being sick. In severe cases, the cow can develop acidosis and founder or die.
Foreign objects from the food that is eaten is deposited here. Thus the reticulum is also known as the 'hardware stomach'.
The reticulum, which has a honeycomb-like lining, is a compartment of the stomach that is involved with rumination. It also acts as a trap for foreign objects taken in by the cow. It is not unusual to find rocks, nails, and pieces of wire and metal in our reticulum. (Not that we're particularly stupid to eat these; it's just that sometimes these things get mixed up with the grass) If wire or metal pieces puncture the sides of the reticulum, it can cause “hardware disease.” Hardware disease is an irritation or infection of the diaphragm, heart or lungs. It is hard to treat, but can be prevented by keeping metal trash out of pastures. Specially shaped magnets can be administered to cows to decrease the possibility that ingested metal will pierce the digestive tract. These magnets will stay in the reticulum forever. Fortunately, Mr. Farmer had inserted one of these magnets into my reticulum, so I wouldn't encounter an infection any time soon!
STOMACH PART 3(OMASUM)
The main function of the omasum is to absorb water and nutrients.The skin-lining of the omasum is layered, thus it allows more surface area to absorb moisture.
The omasum is also known as “the book” or many piles because of its many leaf-like folds. It functions as the gateway to the abomasum, filtering large particles back to the reticulum or the rumen and allowing fine particles and fluid to be passed to the abomasum. It also aids in water resorption and recycling of buffers for the saliva. The omasum may also absorb some volatile fatty acids.
STOMACH PART 4(ABOMASUM)
This part of the stomach functions just like a human stomach, thus it is also known as the 'true stomach'. Hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes are released, to start protein digestion.
Small intestine
This is where most of the digestive system is completed. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and amino acids are being absorbed here.
This is where most of the digestive system is completed. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and amino acids are being absorbed here.
The small intestine also produces some enzymes to aid in digestion. For example, enzymes are used to digest proteins, sugars, and starch flow into the small intestine from the pancreas, while the gall bladder produces bile to help digest fats. However, the major function of the small intestine is to absorb digested nutrients. Except for the volatile fatty acids, most of the nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine.
Large intestine
In this part of the large intestine , water is reabsorbed again and undigested food is excreted as fecal dropping .
Water is primarily absorbed in the large intestine. Undigested feed, some excess water, and some metabolic wastes leave the large intestine as fecal material. The consistency of manure is an indicator of animal health and is dependent on water, fiber, and protein content of the food. For example, cows on lush spring forage will have profuse watery, greenish colored manure, whereas animals on a hay diet will have firm manure that is dark in color. Animals should produce manure that is indicative of the diet they are receiving. If not, it may indicate a digestive upset or disease. Light colored manure, manure tinged with blood, and watery manure (when on a dry diet) are not normal situations.
IN OTHER WORDS....
Cows are herbivorous animals and feed on primary produces (plants).
Food is consumed through the mouth.
Tongue helps to gather grass and then pinch it off between their incisors and dental pad.
Teeths helps in chewing and grinding feed. Chewing helps the feed to mix thoroughly with the saliva.The food passes from the mouth into the esophagus then reaches the stomach.
Stomach in cow is divisible into four compartment namely,rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum
The reticulum of stomach is a pouch-like structure.The tissues in reticulum are arranged in a network resembling a honeycomb.
The microbes present in rumen helps in decomposing cellulose and other carbohydrates to form volatile fatty acids absorbed by the papillae lining of the rumen wall.
Feed can freely flow between reticulum and rumen of the stomach.
The feed (cud) is sent again in to the mouth for re-chewing.
In the large intestine water is reabsorbed
Undigested food is excreted as fecal dropping.
HERE IS A VIDEO OF OUR DIGESTIVE TRACK !!
Wow! So that's how digestion for a cow ends! Much more interesting than yours, right, humans? ;D
~MooMoo
The MOUTH & TEETH OF A COW
I happened to visit the dentist today and he told me some very interesting things: The cow's mouth & teeth and how it works!
THE MOUTH & THE TEETH
The mouths of cows are very different from most nonruminant animals. Cows have 32 teeth. They have 6 incisors and 2 canines in the front on the bottom. The canines are more like incisors, which are like the sharp teeth that cheetahs and lions have. We don't have incisors on top. Instead, we have dental pads. Cows have 6 premolars and 6 molars on both top and bottom jaws each, amounting a total of 24 molars. In addition, there is a large gap between the incisors and molars. This allows us to harvest and chew a large amount of fibrous food.
Because our teeth are primarily for grinding and not cutting or tearing, we use our tongues to grasp or gather grass and then pinch it off between their incisors and dental pad. Since we lack upper incisors, cows cannot bite off grass very well (this is actually quite annoying, but that's what makes us cows). The inside of the cheeks and palate are rough which helps us hold food in while we chew with a side to side motion. So you can't blame us for chewing slowly! Our teeth aren't as sharp as you humans!
Not only does the mouth help to make our food particles smaller, the mouth also aids in digestion by adding saliva to the food. Interestingly, cows produce 20-35 gallons of saliva a day! The saliva, containing sodium bicarbonate helps to keep the rumen at the proper pH for good microbial grow, and moisten the cud. Much of the water contained in the saliva is recycled by the cow for other uses as well. Talk about resourcefulness!
Not only does the mouth help to make our food particles smaller, the mouth also aids in digestion by adding saliva to the food. Interestingly, cows produce 20-35 gallons of saliva a day! The saliva, containing sodium bicarbonate helps to keep the rumen at the proper pH for good microbial grow, and moisten the cud. Much of the water contained in the saliva is recycled by the cow for other uses as well. Talk about resourcefulness!
Wow, a cow's mouth alone is so interesting! I'm going to go and find out more about the cow's stomach then! Our super super awesomely cool stomach that has 4 parts! :D
~MooMoo
