Function Junction
What is the purpose of the Rumen in the digestive system?
Digestion of fibrous material through fermentation via microbes
Where is the main site of water absorption in the digestive system?
Large Intestine
What if the Rumen loses its microbiome?
Loss of digestion, no fermentation
What is the most widely grown crop in the United States?
Corn
What occurs in the Abomasum of the ruminant?
Enzymatic Digestion
What compartment of the stomach does hardware disease occur? For double points: What do producers do to prevent it?
Reticulum
What if the rumen and esophagus stopped having muscular contractions?
Feed would settle and ferment unevenly, causing bloating and reduced nutrient absorption
Which fruit is technically a berry: strawberry, banana, or raspberry?
Bananna
Explain why the reticulum is critical for rumination and particle sorting.
It traps large particles and initiates regurgitation for cud chewing
What are the 3 sections of the small intestine in order?
Duodenum, Jejunum, Ileum
What if the reticulum’s honeycomb structure were smooth instead?
Reduced ability to trap foreign objects and sort feed particles, increasing digestive inefficiency and risk of hardware disease
What percentage of the Earth’s surface is used for agriculture?
37%
The omasum of a ruminant performs these key functions in digestion. For double the points: How is the omasum so efficient at absorbing water?
Absorbs water and electrolytes, and filters dense feed particles
Name the parts of a ruminant digestive system, in the order digestion takes place
Mouth, Esophagus, Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum, Abomasum, Small Intestine, Large Intestine
What if the abomasum twisted and displaced from its normal position?
Displaced abomasum, causing blockage, pain, and severe digestive disruption that can be life-threatening
What is the term for growing plants without soil?
Hydroponics
Why is the abomasum called the “true stomach,” and what unique role does it play compared to other compartments?
It secretes acid and enzymes for protein digestion, similar to monogastrics. Final step of digestion for ruminants.
Without looking it up, what are the four stomach compartments of the ruminant in order and their function?
Rumen
Reticulum
Omasum
Abomasum
What if the rumen’s papillae stopped developing properly and remained very small?
Reduced surface area for absorption, leading to poor energy utilization and stunted growth
Which country is the largest exporter of beef in the world?
Brazil