Number of stomachs?

[Farminlund]

As long as I've been messing with cows, I've never really cared whether they had 1 stomach or 7 as long as they raised good growthy calves & bred back on schedule. So now someone who's not a cow person asks me how many stomachs does a cow have (obviously something I should know) - they said the internet has various answers (so that's not how I'm going to get the correct number for them). I'd call the vet but it's past business hours & it's a long distance phone call - I'd like to shoot back an email reply quickly so that it appears that I really know the answer. I've tubed many to alleviate bloat (calves) & the length of hose is pretty impressive but I know not whether I'm in one stomach or have passed thru many. Please help me with this somewhat "trivial pursuit" question. Thanks.

 

[CKC1586]

Actually milkmaid was just talking about this on another thread... it is one stomach but has four chambers.

 

[K2011]

^^^^ EXACTLY ^^^^ = 1 actual stomach with 4 chambers

 

[milkmaid]

Take a peek at the thread titled "autopsy pictures" -- makes it easier to remember when you can actually see what's inside. ;-)

 

[Farminlund]

Thanks for the reply. The pictures were fantastic - I copied the one of the stomach & inserted it in my reply to the person posing the question. Yes a picture is worth a 1000 words.

 

[bigbull338]

yes a cow has really 1 stomach with 4 chambers in it.thats why they spend 18 to 20hrs a day chewing their cuds.

 

[K2011]

2 of the "chambers" of the stomach have nick-names........I don't remember what chamber goes with what name......
-Leaves of the Bible
-Honeycomb

 

[Keren]

2 of the "chambers" of the stomach have nick-names........I don't remember what chamber goes with what name......
-Leaves of the Bible
-Honeycomb

1st stomach/compartment = Rumen/Shagpile carpet
2nd stomach/compartment = Reticulum/Honeycomb
3rd stomach/compartment = Omasum/Bible
4th stomach/compartment = Abomasum/True stomach

So named because of the pattern of the internal walls ... quite cool really, I havent looked at the autopsy thread yet due to dial up, do the pictures show the inside of the stomach? If so, you'll understand the names (the first three anyway)

 

[milkmaid]

I have a pic of the inside of the rumen (not uploaded yet)... didn't get pics of the other three compartments. I'm making a list of what I want to see next time I have the opportunity to do an autopsy (hopefully not on one of my own calves ) and I'll make a point of getting pics of the other three parts of the stomach.

 

[dun]

The omasum is about the neatest organ a ruminent has. I alwasy cut it open just to look at it.

 

[djinwa]

I think there's alot of confusion regarding "stomachs". The abomasum is the true stomach like ours. The other 3 compartments preceding it are actually outgrowths of the esophagus embryologically.

How it all works - some interesting stuff:

http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/ ... ation.html

 

[Keren]

The omasum is about the neatest organ a ruminent has. I alwasy cut it open just to look at it.

Really? I've always found it boring ... but I cut open the reticulum just to look at it (glad I'm not the only person who does this)

 

[K2011]

Found a photo of the inside structure.........these are out of goats but cattle are the same way....

rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum of goats

 

[dun]

The omasum is about the neatest organ a ruminent has. I alwasy cut it open just to look at it.

Really? I've always found it boring ... but I cut open the reticulum just to look at it (glad I'm not the only person who does this)

OOPS, left of the "ab". But I find them all interesting