As we know, the cow has four stomachs as compared to the human being who has only one .Thus it is very interesting to find out how the food is actually digested efficiently in the four stomachs.
THE FOUR STOMACHS
Reticulum and rumen
The reticulum and the rumen are the first two stomachs of ruminants. The contents of the reticulum is mixed with that of the rumen almost continuously (once everyminute). Both stomachs, often referred to as the reticulo-rumen, share a dense population of micro-organisms (bacteria,protozoa, and fungi).The rumen is a large fermentation vessel that can contain as much as 100 to 120 kg of digesting material. Fiber particles remain in the rumen from 20 to 48 hours because bacterial fermentation of fiber is a slow process. However, particles that digest faster tend to stay in the rumen for a shorter period of time.The reticulum is the "crossroad" where particles entering or leaving the rumen are sorted. Only particles that are small in sizes may move on to the third stomach.
Omasum
The third stomach or omasum is round and has a capacity of about 10liters. The omasum is a small organ with great absorption capacity. It allows there cycling of water and minerals such as sodium and phosphorus which return to the rumen through the saliva. Since the modes of digestion in the rumen and the abomasum differ drastically, the omasum acts as an organ of transition between these two organs.
Reticulum and rumen
The reticulum and the rumen are the first two stomachs of ruminants. The contents of the reticulum is mixed with that of the rumen almost continuously (once everyminute). Both stomachs, often referred to as the reticulo-rumen, share a dense population of micro-organisms (bacteria,protozoa, and fungi).The rumen is a large fermentation vessel that can contain as much as 100 to 120 kg of digesting material. Fiber particles remain in the rumen from 20 to 48 hours because bacterial fermentation of fiber is a slow process. However, particles that digest faster tend to stay in the rumen for a shorter period of time.The reticulum is the "crossroad" where particles entering or leaving the rumen are sorted. Only particles that are small in sizes may move on to the third stomach.
Omasum
The third stomach or omasum is round and has a capacity of about 10liters. The omasum is a small organ with great absorption capacity. It allows there cycling of water and minerals such as sodium and phosphorus which return to the rumen through the saliva. Since the modes of digestion in the rumen and the abomasum differ drastically, the omasum acts as an organ of transition between these two organs.
Abomasum
The fourth stomach is the abomasum. This stomach is like the stomach of nonruminants.It secretes a strong acid and many digestive enzymes. In nonruminants,ingested foods are first digested in the abomasum. However, the material entering the abomasum of a ruminant is made up primarily of unfermented food particles, some end-products of microbial fermentation and microbes which grew in the rumen.
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