In the adult ruminant, the rumen makes up 85% of the total capacity of the four stomachs. The contents are 85-95% water and present as two forms: a lower liquid layer in which the finer food particles are suspended and an upper layer of dryer, courser material.
The Rumination Process
A series of contractions physically break down the food, stimulated by fiber scratching in rumen
Food is regurgitated, chewed and swallowed up to 50 times during rumination, before passing through the stomach
Food and water fermented into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), microbial cells, and waste gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide pH can drop to less than 5.0 due to VFA production; vital to maintain a pH level above 5.8, which is achieved by reducing acid production and increasing acid neutralization and absorption
Yeast is a major influencer; it stimulates the growth of lactate utilizing bacteria,
which:
Removes lactic acid
Competes with lactate producing bacteria for food, thereby controlling production
The biological breakdown of food occurs by enzymes secreted not by the animal itself, but by microorganisms such as:
