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The rumen, also known as a paunch, is the largest stomach compartment in ruminants. [1] The rumen and the reticulum make up the reticulorumen in ruminant animals. [2]The diverse microbial communities in the rumen allows it to serve as the primary site for microbial fermentation of ingested feed, which is often fiber-rich roughage typically indigestible by mammalian digestive systems.
Mature female cattle are called cows and mature male cattle are bulls. Young female cattle are called heifers, young male cattle are oxen or bullocks, and castrated male cattle are known as steers. Cattle are commonly raised for meat, for dairy products, and for leather. As draft animals, they pull carts and farm implements.
In a mature cow, the reticulum can hold around 5 gallons of liquid. The rumen and reticulum are very close in structure and function and can be considered as one organ. They are separated only by a muscular fold of tissue. In immature ruminants, a reticular groove is formed by the muscular fold of the reticulum.
A cow hoof is cloven, or divided, into two approximately equal parts, usually called claws. [12] Approximately 95% of lameness in dairy cattle occurs in the feet. [ 12 ] Lameness in dairy cows can reduce milk production and fertility, and cause reproductive problems and suffering.
Cattle raised for human consumption are called beef cattle. Within the beef cattle industry in parts of the United States, the term beef (plural beeves) is still used in its archaic sense to refer to an animal of either sex. Cows of certain breeds that are kept for the milk they give are called dairy cows or milking cows (formerly milch cows).
Udder care and hygiene in cows is important in milking, aiding uninterrupted and untainted milk production, and preventing mastitis. Products exist to soothe the chapped skin of the udder. This helps prevent bacterial infection, and reduces irritation during milking by the cups, and so the cow is less likely to kick the cups off.
While goat and cattle leather have a wide variety of use, sheepskin is suited only for clothing purposes. [75] Wool from Merino hoggets is the finest and most valuable. Merino wool is 3–5 in (7.6–12.7 cm) long and very soft. Coarse wools, being durable and resistant to pilling, are used for making tough garments [76] and carpets.
Cattle breeds fall into two main types, which are regarded as either two closely related species, or two subspecies of one species. Bos indicus (or Bos taurus indicus ) cattle, commonly called zebu, are adapted to hot climates and originated in the tropical parts of the world such as India, Sub-saharan Africa, China, and Southeast Asia.