Explain digestion in cows Digestion is the process in

Explain digestion in cows Digestion is the process in
| Explain digestion in cows.

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Digestion is the process in which complex food molecules are broken down into simpler forms that can be absorbed and stored by the body. But the ability to digest food is not the same for all animals.
Cows, have a very different digestive system than our own, and this allows them to thrive on a menu predominantly made up of grass.


Stomach of the Cow
A = Esophagus; B = Reticulum; C = Rumen;
D = Omasum; E = Abomasum; F = Small intestine Begins.

1) When a cow first takes a bite of grass, it is chewed very little before it is swallowed. This is a characteristic feature of the digestion in cows. Cows are known as “ruminants” because the largest pouch of the stomach is called the rumen.
 
2) The reticulum is made of muscle, and by contracting, it forces food into the cow’s esophagus which carries the food back to the mouth. Millions of tiny organisms (mainly bacteria) naturally live in the rumen and help the cow by breaking down plant parts that cannot be digested otherwise. 
 
3) The tiny organisms then release nutrients into the rumen. Some nutrients are absorbed right away; others have to travel to the small intestine before being absorbed. To help the cow’s body capture and absorb all these nutrients, the inside of the rumen is covered by small finger-like structures (called papillae).
 
4) The next pouch in the stomach is the omasum (letter D). This pouch acts like a giant filter to keep plant particles inside the rumen while allowing water to pass freely. By keeping grass pieces and other feed inside the rumen, bacteria have more time to break them down, providing even more nutrients for the cow.
 
5) After the grass pieces and other feed are broken down to a small enough size, they eventually pass through the omasum and enter the abomasum (letter E). The abomasum has the same basic function as the stomach of man, or other mammal, which is the production of acids, buffers, and enzymes to break down food. 
 
6) After passing through the abomasum, partially digested food enters the small intestine where digestion continues and nutrients are absorbed.


 

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