Goats As Ruminates

Goats, like sheep, cows,, and deer are classified as ruminates, which means that their digestive systems consist of four chambers. Digestive problems in goats are often caused by results from improper feeding, because of their owners not understanding how this system works.

When a ruminate eats, food mixes with saliva and is sent down to the first and largest compartment of the stomach, which is called the rumen. A well developed rumen can hold four or five gallons of liquid and fermenting matter. To help fiber break down, soft masses of cud are sent back up by the rumen to the mouth for re chewing.

In both the rumen and the second chamber, called the reticulum, fatty acids and vitamins produced during fermentation, are absorbed into the goat's bloodstream. In the third and fourth chambers, the omasum, and abomasum, food is further liquefied and broken down so that more of the nutrients can be absorbed.

Here, I have listed the four chambers and their functions:

Rumen- Sometimes called the fermentation vat. The largest chamber, representing about 80% of the stomach. Contains micro-organisms(bacteria,protozoa, and fungi) that supply enzymes to break down fiber and convert cellulose into volatile fatty acids, which provide up to 75% of the goat's energy needs. Microbes also produce protein from simple nitrogen compounds in the feed, as well as manufacture amino acids and vitamin K and B-vitamins a goat needs.

Reticulum- Called the honeycomb because that's what it looks like. The second chamber(actually part of the rumen and separated only by a partial wall) functions as as fluid pump. Hardware and other odd objects consumed by a goat remain here and, if sharp or pointed, work their way through the reticulum wall, doing serious damage.

Omasum- Also called many ply because it consists of folds of tissue (like leaves of a cabbage for increased surface area and better absorption.

Abomasum- The second largest chamber and true stomach, where actual digestion occurs. Contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin enzymes that break down protein into easily digested simple compounds.

Development of Kids:

When a kid is born, the only developed chamber is the abomasum, the true stomach where actual digestion takes place, therefor function is a single-stomached animal. it is only when they start eating solid food when their rumen begins to develop.

A ruminate requires the proper proportion of roughage to grain in order to maintain good rumen action. Too much grain in relation to roughage is not unnecessarily costly, but also works against rumen muscle tone. Adults with not an adequate amount of fiber lose rumen capacity, and their digestive systems begin to function like a single-stomached animal. When too much fiber is fed without the necessary amounts of energy to aid in digestion, rumen impaction may result, so i feel it necessary to balance out the amount of grain an d roughage to maintain a healthy digestive function.

Rumen Function:

You can tell when a goat's rumen is functioning normally, because you can see rhythmic waves of upward movement along the animal's left side, accompanied by belching and contented cud chewing.
A doe needs good rumen capacity to produce large amounts of milk. But she also needs high quality legume hay, along with a source of energy, to replace nutrients lost in her milk. The result of this low-fiber diet is designed for high milk production is that, as lactation progresses, a doe's rumen becomes less active and begins to shrink. Before she starts a new lactation cycle, it is necessary to help her restore rumen function and capacity by feeding her extra amounts of long-fiber, less digestible hay or forage.

In a future post, I will talk about feeding practices. I hope this gave you insight of the function of a goats four stomach chambers and how they work. I got my resources from a book called" Raising Dairy Goats Successfully." I have learned alot by reading this book.