ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -The unchewed food travels to the first two stomachs, the rumen and the reticulum, where it is stored until later. When the cow is full from this eating process, she rests. Later, the cow coughs up bits of the unchewed food called cud and chews it completely this time before swallowing it again.

Detailed explanation-2: -The reticulum is a pouch-like structure in the forward area of the body, close to the heart. The tissues in the reticulum form a network similar to a honeycomb. A small tissue fold lies between the reticulum and rumen, but the two aren’t separate compartments. Together they’re called the rumino-reticulum.

Detailed explanation-3: -The main function of the reticulum is to collect smaller digesta particles and move them into the omasum while the larger particles remain in the rumen for further digestion. The reticulum also traps and collects heavy/dense objects consumed by the animal.

Detailed explanation-4: -The reticulum is directly involved in rumination. 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. The reticulum (letter B, Diagram 1) is sometimes called the “honeycomb” because of its distinct honeycomb-like appearance.

Detailed explanation-5: -The four components of a ruminant’s stomach are the reticulum, rumen, omasum, and abomasum. Food first travels to the reticulum to begin digestion and then to the larger rumen for more mixing and fermentation.