Abstract
Microbial digestion and synthesis in the ruminant forestomach requires retention of ingesta and micro-organisms for a relatively prolonged period of time, an anaerobic environment, a suitable range of pH, and removal of inhibitory end-products. Many of the end-products provide a major source of the nutrients required by the host. The forestomach also aids in the conservation of endogenous sodium, chlorine and nitrogen. The following discussion will attempt to demonstrate analogies between the forestomach of ruminants and the large intestine of these and other mammals. Because of the background of readers, and the large amount of information available, the characteristics of the ruminant forestomach will be only briefly outlined, with reference to recent reviews. The reader is also referred to the recent review of Ulyatt et al.71 for a more detailed discussion of the structure and function of the ruminant large intestine.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alexander, F. (1962). The concentration of certain electrolytes in the digestive tract of the horse and pig. Res. Vet. Sci., 3, 78–84
Alexander, F. and Davies, M. E. (1963). Production and fermentation of lactate by bacteria in the alimentary canal of the horse and pig. J. Comp. Pathol. Ther., 73, 1–8
Argenzio, R. A., Lowe, J. E., Pickard, D. W. and Stevens, C. E. (1974). Digesta passage and water exchange in the equine large intestine. Am. J. Physiol., 226, 1035–1042
Argenzio, R. A., Miller, N. and Engelhardt, W. V. (1975). Elfect of volatile fatty acids on water and ion absorption from the goat colon. Am. J. Physiol, 229, 997–1002
Argenzio, R. A. and Southworth, M. (1975). Sites of organic acid production and absorption in gastrointestinal tract of the pig. Am. J. Physiol, 228, 454–460
Argenzio, R. A., Southworth, M., Lowe, J. E. and Stevens, C. E. (1977). Interrelationship of Na, HCO3 and volatile fatty acid transport by equine large intestine. Am. J. Physiol, 233, E469–478
Argenzio, R. A., Southworth, M. and Stevens, C. E. (1974). Sites of organic acid production and absorption in the equine gastrointestinal tract. Am. J. Physiol, 226, 1043–1050
Argenzio, R. A. and Stevens, C. E. (1975). Cyclic changes in ionic composition of digesta in the equine intestinal tract. Am. J. Physiol, 228, 1224–1230
Argenzio, R. A. and Whipp, S. C. (1979). Interrelationship of Na, Cl, HCO3 and acetate transport by the colon of the pig. J. Physiol, 295, 365–381
Ash, R. W. and Dobson, A. (1963). The effect of absorption on the acidity of rumen contents. J. Physiol, 169, 39–61
Ash, R. W. and Kay, R. N. B. (1963). Digestive secretions and the flow of food material in the sheep. In D. P. Cuthbertson (ed.) Progress in Nutrition and Allied Sciences, pp. 127–140. (Edinburgh and London: Oliver and Boyd)
Bailey, H. S., Holmes, J. H. G. and Stevenson, K. R. (1974). Digestion by the pig of the energy and nitrogen in dried, ensiled and organic acid-preserved corn: with observation of the starch content of digesta samples. Can. J. Anim. Sci., 54, 337–383
Baker, F., Nash, H., Morrice, F. and Bruce, J. (1950). Bacterial breakdown of structural starches and starch products in the digestive tract of ruminant and non-ruminant mammals. J. Pathol and Bacteriol, 62, 617–638
Balch, C. C. (1961). Movement of digesta through the digestive tract. In D. Lewis (ed.) Digestive Physiology and Nutrition of the Ruminant, pp. 23–32. (London: Butterworths)
Balch, C. C. and Campling, R. C. (1965). Rate of passage of digesta through the ruminant digestive tract. In R. W. Dougherty (ed.) Physiology of Digestion in the Ruminant, pp. 108–123. (Washington: Butterworths)
Banta, C. A., Clemens, E. T., Krinsky, M. M. and Sheffy, B. E. (1979). Sites of organic acid production and patterns of digesta movement in the gastrointestinal tract of dogs. J. Nutr., 109, 1592–1600
Barcroft, J., McAnnally, R. A. and Phillipson, A. T. (1944). Absorption of volatile acids from the alimentary tract of the sheep and other animals. J. Exp. Biol., 20, 120–129
Binder, H. J. and Rawlins, C. L. (1973). Electrolyte transport across isolated large intestinal mucosa. Am. J. Physiol., 225, 1232–1239
Bonnafous, R. and Raynaud, P. (1968). Mise en évidence d’une activité lysante du colon proximal sur Ies microorganismes du tube digestif du lapin. Arch. Sci. Physiol., 22, 57–64
Bryant, M. P. (1977). Microbiology of the rumen. In M. J. Swenson (ed.) Dukes’ Physiology of the Domestic Animals. 9th Ed., pp. 287–304. (Ithaca: Comstock Press)
Calloway, D. H. (1968). Gas in the alimentary canal. In C. F. Code and W. Heidel, (eds.) Handbook of Physiology. Sect 6: Alimentary Canal. Vol. V, pp. 2839–2859. Washington DC: Am. Physiol. Soc.)
Campling, R. C. and Freer, M. (1962). The effect of specific gravity and size on the mean time of retention of inert particles in the alimentary tract of the cow. Brit. J. Nutr., 16, 507–518
Chien, Wan-Ju and Stevens, C. E. (1972). Coupled active transport of Na and Cl across forestomach epithelium. Am. J. Physiol., 223, 997–1003
Christensen, J., Anuras, S. and Hauser, R. L. (1974). Migrating spike bursts and electrical slow waves in the cat colon: Effect of sectioning. Gastroenterology, 66, 240–247
Clemens, E. T. and Stevens, C. E. (1979). Sites of organic acid production and patterns of digesta movement in the gastrointestinal tract of the racoon. J. Nutr., 109, 1110–1116
Clemens, E. T., Stevens, C. E. and Southworth, M. (1975). Sites of organic acid production and pattern of digesta movement in the gastrointestinal tract of swine. J. Nutr., 105, 759–768
Dobson, A. (1959). Active transport through the epithelium of the reticulorumen sac. J. Physiol., 146, 235–251
Dobson, A. (1961). Absorption from the rumen. In D. Lewis (ed.) Digestive Physiology and Nutrition of the Ruminant, pp. 68–75. (London: Butterworths)
Dobson, A. and Phillipson, A. T. (1968). Absorption from the ruminant forestomach. In C. F. Code and W. Heidel (eds.) Handbook of Physiology, Sect. 6: Alimentary Canal. Vol. V, pp. 2761–2774. (Washington DC: Am. Physiol. Soc.)
Elliott, T. R. and Barclay-Smith, E. (1904). Antiperistalsis and other muscular activities of the colon. J. Physiol., 31, 272–304
Elsden, S. R., Hitchcock, M. W. S., Marshall, R. A. and Phillipson, A. T. (1946). Volatile acid in the digesta of ruminants and other animals. J. Exp. Biol., 22, 191–202
el-Shazly, K. (1952). Degradation of protein in the rumen of the sheep. 1. Some volatile fatty acids, including branched-chained isomers, found in vivo. Biochem. J., 51, 640–647
El-Shazly, K. (1952). Degradation of protein in the rumen of the sheep. 2. The action of rumen micro-organisms on amino acids. Biochem. J., 51, 647–653
Engelhardt, W. V. and Hauffe, R. (1975). Role of the omasum in absorption and secretion of water and electrolytes in sheep and goats. In I. W. McDonald and A. C. I. Warner (eds.) Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 216–230. (Armidale: Univ. New Eng. Publ. Unit)
Giordano, G., DePascale, C., Balestrieri, C., Cittadini, D. and Crescenzi, A. (1966). The incorporation of Urea-15N into serum of uremic patients on low nitrogen diets. J. Clin. Invest., 45–1, 1013
Goodall, E. D. and Kay, R. N. B. (1965). Digestion and absorption in the large intestine of sheep. J. Physiol., 176, 12–23
Gray, F. V. (1947). The digestion of cellulose by sheep at successive levels of alimentary tract. J. Exp. Biol., 24, 15–19
Grovum, W. L. and Williams, V. J. (1973). Rate of passage of digesta in sheep. 3. Differential rates of passage of water and dry matter from the reticulo-rumen, abomasum and caecum and proximal colon. Br. J. Nutr., 30, 231–240
Grovum, W. L. and Williams, V. J. (1973). Rate of passage of digesta in sheep. 4. Passage of marker through the alimentary tract and the biological relevance of rate- constants derived from changes in concentration of marker in faeces. Br. J. Nutr., 30, 313–329
Hintz, H. F., Hogue, D. E., Walker, E. F., Lowe, J. E. and Schryver, H. F. (1971). Apparent digestion in various segments of the digestive tract of ponies fed diets with varying roughage-grain ratios. J. Anim. Sci., 32, 245–248
Holmes, J. H. G. and Bailey, H. S. (1973). Digestion and absorption of dry and high- moisture maize diets in the small and large intestine of the pig. Br. J. Nutr., 30, 401–410
Holmes, J. H. G., Bailey, H. S. and Leadbeater, P. A. (1974). Digestion of protein in small and large intestine of the pig. Br. J. Nutr., 32, 479–489
Houpt, T. R. and Houpt, K. A. (1971). Nitrogen conservation by ponies fed a low- protein ration. Am. J. Vet. Res., 32, 579–588
Hukuhara, T. and Neya, T. (1968). The movements of the colon of rats and guinea pigs. Jpn. J. Physiol., 18, 551–562
Hungate, R. E. (1968). Ruminal fermentation. In C. F. Code and W. Heidel (eds). Handbook of Physiology. Sect. 6: Alimentary Canal. Vol. V, pp. 2725–2745 (Washington, DC: Am. Physiol. Soc.)
Hydén, S. (1961). The use of reference substances and the measurement of flow in the alimentary tract. In D. Lewis (ed.) Digestive Physiology and Nutrition of the Ruminant, pp. 35–47 (London: Butterworths)
Imoto, S. and Namioka, S. (1978). VFA production in the pig large intestine. J. Anim. Sci., 47, 467–478
Imoto, S. and Namioka, S. (1978). VFA metabolism in the pig. J. Anim. Sci., 47, 479–487
Karr, M. R., Little, C. O. and Mitchell, G. E. (1966). Starch disappearance from different segments of the digestive tract of steers. J. Anim. Sci., 25, 652–654
Kay, R. N. B. and Pfeffer, E. (1970). Movements of water and electrolytes into and from the intestine of the sheep. In A. T. Phillipson (ed.) Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 390–402. (Newcastle upon Tyne: Oriel Press)
Keys, J. E. Jr. and DeBarthe, J. V. (1974). Site and extent of carbohydrate, dry matter, energy and protein digestion and the rate of passage of grains diets in swine. J. Anim. Sci., 39, 57–62
King, K. W. and Moore, W. E. C. (1957). Density and size as factors affecting passage rate of ingesta in the bovine and human digestive tract. J. Dairy Sci., 40, 528–536
Knutson, R. S., Frances, R. S., Hall, J. L., Moore, B. H. and Heisinger, J. F. (1977). Ammonia and urea distribution and urease activity in the gastrointestinal tract of rabbits (Oryctolagus and Sylvilagus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 58, 151–154
Levitt, M. D. (1971). Volume and composition of intestinal gas determined by means of an intestinal washout technic. New Engl. J. Med., 284, 1394–1398
Levitt, M. D. and Bond, J. H. (1970). Volume, composition, and source of intestinal gas. Gastroenterology, 59, 921–929
Murray, R. M., Bryant, A. M. and Leng, R. A. (1976). Rates of production of methane in the rumen and large intestine of sheep. Br. J. Nutr., 36, 1–14
Ørskov, E. R., Fräser, C. and McDonald, I. (1971). Digestion of concentrates in sheep. Effects of rumen fermentation of barley and maize diets on protein digestion. Br. J. Nutr., 26, 477–486
Phillipson, A. T. (1947). The production of fatty acids in the alimentary tract of the dog. J. Exp. Biol., 23, 346–349
Phillipson, A. T. (1977). Ruminant digestion. In M. J. Swenson (ed.) Duke’s Physiology of Domestic Animals, 9th Ed., pp. 250–286. (Ithaca: Comstock Press)
Pickard, D. W. and Stevens, C. E. (1972). Digesta flow through the rabbit large intestine. Am. J. Physiol, 222, 1161–1166
Prior, R. L., Hintz, H. F., Lowe, J. E. and Visek, W. J. (1974). Urea recycling and metabolism of ponies. J. Anim. Sci., 38, 565–571
Rogoeczi, E., Irons, L., Koj, A. and McFarlane, A. S. (1965). Isotopic studies of urea metabolism in rabbits. Biochem. J., 95, 521–532
Sellers, A. F. and Stevens, C. E. (1966). Motor functions of the ruminant forestomach. Phys. Rev., 46, 634–661
Slade, L. M., Bishop, R., Morris, J. G. and Robinson, D. G. (1971). Digestion and absorption of 15N-Iabelled microbial protein in the large intestine of the horse. Br. Vet. J., 127, XI-XIII
Slade, L. M., Robinson, D. W. and Casey, K. E. (1970). Nitrogen metabolism in non- ruminant herbivores. I. The influence of nonprotein nitrogen and protein quality on the nitrogen retention of adult mares. J. Anim. Sci., 30, 753–760
Stevens, C. E. (1973). Transport across rumen epithelium. In H. H. Ussing and N. A. Thorn (eds.) Transport Mechanisms in Epithelia, pp. 404–426. (Copenhagen: Munks- gaard)
Stevens, C. E. (1977). Comparative physiology of the digestive system. In M. J. Swenson, (ed.) Duke’s Physiology of Domestic Animals. 9th Edn., pp. 216–232. (Ithaca: Comstock Press)
Stevens, C. E., Dobson, A. and Mammano, J. H. (1969). A transepithelial pump for weak electrolytes. Am. J. Physiol., 216, 983–987
Stevens, C. E. and Stettler, B. K. (1966). Transport of fatty acid mixtures across rumen epithelium. Am. J. Physiol., 211, R264–271
Turnberg, L. A., Bieberdorf, F. A., Morawski, S. G. and Fordtran, J. S. (1970). Interrelationships of chloride, bicarbonate, sodium, and hydrogen transport in the human ileum. J. Clin. Invest., 49, 557–567
Ulyatt, M. J., Dellow, D. W., Reid, C. S. W. and Bauchop, T. (1975). Structure and function of the large intestine of ruminants. In I. W. McDonald and A. C. I. Warner (eds.) Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant, pp. 119–133. (Armidale, Australia: Univ. New. Engl. Publ. Unit)
Vercellotti, J. R., Salyers, A. A. and Wilkins, T. D. (1978). Complex carbohydrate breakdown in the human colon. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 31, S86-S89
Walser, M. and Bodenlos, L. J. (1959). Urea metabolism in man. J. Clin. Invest., 38, 1617–1626
Wiggins, H. S. and Cummings, J. H. (1976). Evidence for the mixing of residue in the human gut. Gut, 17, 1007–1011
Wootton, J. F. and Argenzio, R. A. (1975). Nitrogen utilization within equine large intestine. Am. J. Physiol., 229, 1062–1067
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1980 MTP Press Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Stevens, C.E., Argenzio, R.A., Clemens, E.T. (1980). Microbial digestion: rumen versus large intestine. In: Ruckebusch, Y., Thivend, P. (eds) Digestive Physiology and Metabolism in Ruminants. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-8067-2_33
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-8067-2_33
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-011-8069-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-8067-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive