cattle digestion

Animal Science

Cattle Unit

CATTLE DIGESTION

RECALL EQUINE DIGESTION…• Monogastric

1. Mouth

• Teeth chew to break down food

• Saliva breaks down starch

2. Esophagus

• Tube that carries food from mouth to stomach

3. Stomach

• Chemicals added to food to bread down further

• Smaller materials are absorbed into the bloodstream

4. Small Intestine

• Absorbs nutrients

• Enzymes help break down food further

5. Cecum

• Has little function

• Between small and large intestines

6. Large Intestine

• Main function is to absorb water

7. Rectum

• The terminal portion of the large intestine

• Leads to the anus where waste is passed to the outside of the body

RUMINANTS—FOUR CHAMBERED STOMACHS• One stomach

• Four compartments

• Used for the digestion of mass quantities of roughages

• Hay and grasses

• The path is the same

• Mouth

• Esophagus

• Stomach

• Small intestine

• Cecum

• Large intestine

• Rectum

RUMINANT MOUTH • Functions the same as monogastric EXCEPT…

1. Ruminants regurgitate their food and re-chew it

2. A cow makes 40,000-60,000 jaw movements a day just from chewing

RUMINANT ESOPHAGUS• Functions the same as monogastric EXCEPT…

• There is a valve that allows animals to regurgitate feed stuffs to be chewed separately

• How well could you digest these?

• What happens to you when you eat corn?

RUMINANT STOMACH• Functions the same as monogastric EXCEPT…

• There are 4 chambers

• Rumen

• Reticulum

• Omasum

• Abomasum

CHAMBER #1: THE RUMEN• Acts as a large fermentation vat

• Using microbes to do fermentation

• Movement of the rumen mixes its content

• Finds large particles and regurgitates them

CHAMBER #2: THE RETICULUM• Considered an extra piece of the rumen

• Has a honeycomb shape

• Site of hardware collection

• Cattle may ingest metal from the feed/ground

• Cow magnets help the metal from going any further

Cow Magnet

CHAMBER #3: THE OMASUM• Aids in water absorption

• Numerous folds help to trap digestive particles

• Increases the time spent to be absorbed

CHAMBER #4: THE ABOMASUM• Considered the “true stomach”

• Functions the same as the monogastric stomach

• Hydrochloric acid helps break down the material

http://www.cteonline.org/portal/default/Curriculum/Viewer/Curriculum?action=2&cmobjid=178382&view=viewer&refcmobjid=197387

ERUCTATION (BELCHING)

• Production of Carbon Dioxide and Methane

• Produced by microbial population in the rumen

• Rumen will contract and force the gas out

• Bloating can result if ruminant does not belch

Flipped Stomach and Gas

Bloat and Trocar

CATTLE PARTS

CIRCLE THE FOLLOWING PARTS

• Poll

• Dewlap

• Brisket

• Hoof

• Dew Claw

• Hock

• Switch

• Flank (rear pictured)

• Back

• Loin

• Hooks

• Rump

• Round

• Rib

• Belly

• Heart Girth

LABEL THE PICTURE WITH THE PARTS

MEAT CUTS

Meat Cut/Quality Video