DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF CATTLE 341 



in it being very strong and possessing a double action. When 

 the animal is eating they carry the food from the mouth to 

 the stomach, and when chewing the cud they act the very 

 opposite, carrying the food from the stomach back into the 

 mouth. 



8. The Stomach. 



The student will do well to give some time to the study 

 of this important organ of the ox, as it is very frequently 

 the seat of disease. 



The Stomach has a capacity of sixty gallons and is di- 

 vided into four separate and distinct compartments (see plate 

 xiii.) : (a) the rumen or paunch, (b) the reticulum or honey 

 comb, (c) the omasum or many-plies, and (d) the abomasum 

 or true stomach. In the first three of these the food under- 

 goes a sort of preparatory process, while in the fourth the 

 process of digestion is complete. 



(a) The rumen or paunch is very large, and in an aged 

 animal fills three-quarters of the belly cavity. It lies up 

 against the left side of the belly, where it is attached and 

 held to its place by ligaments. Its situation is an important 

 matter as many diseases of the rumen, or paunch, are first 

 noticed on the left side. Tapping for bloating is always done 

 on the left side because of this fact. The walls of the paunch 

 of an ox resemble those of the stomach of the horse, but are 

 not nearly so sensitive, and stand a great deal of abuse before 

 inflammation sets in. The paunch has two openings, both of 

 which are at the front ; through one the food enters, while 

 through the other it passes out into the next division. 



(b) The reticulum, or honey comb, is the smallest di- 

 vision and resembles a honey comb in appearance. This part 

 has little to do in preparing the food. It is provided with two 

 openings, one in front, where the food enters, the other at 

 the back, where it passes through into the third division. In 

 the reticulum, or honey comb, the food is softened further 

 by the water that the animal drinks which passes directly 

 into the second division. The food is here pressed into balls 

 and prepared to be forced back into the mouth to be further 

 masticated. 



(c) The omasum or many-plies is the second largest di- 

 vision of the stomach. When full it is ovoid in shape. It is 

 placed just behind the second division and at the right side 



