ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -The cow’s digestive tract consists of the mouth, esophagus, a complex four-compartment stomach, small intestine and large intestine (figure 1).

Detailed explanation-2: -The cow has four stomachs and undergoes a special digestive process to break down the tough and coarse food it eats. When the cow first eats, it chews the food just enough to swallow it. The unchewed food travels to the first two stomachs, the rumen and the reticulum, where it is stored until later.

Detailed explanation-3: -The small intestine is a tube up to 150 feet long with a 20-gallon capacity in a mature cow. Digesta entering the small intestine mix with secretions from the pancreas and liver, which elevate the pH from 2.5 to between 7 and 8. This higher pH is needed for enzymes in the small intestine to work properly.