38 DISEASES OF HORSES AND CATTLE. 



THE STOMACHS OF THE OX. 



The first stomach is called the rumen; it lies on 

 the left side and occupies about three-fourths of 

 the abdominal cavi;y. It is made up of three 

 coats. The external one is composed of two sets 

 of strong muscular tissue, one set longitudinal 

 and the other set circular. Besides these there 

 are two strong bands of elastic tissue, one running 

 lengthwise and the other across. The part of the 

 inside of the stomach where these bands are is 

 smooth and white. The use of these bands is to 

 strengthen and assist in the contraction of the or- 

 gan. The use of the muscular coat having its 

 fibres running in the two directions is to contract 

 the stomach both in its length and breadth. The 

 inside coat or lining is rough, although soft to the 

 touch, and has a few glands scattered over it, se- 

 crefing a small quantity of mucous, which assists 

 in softening the food. 



USE OF THIS STOMACH. 



Cattle collect their food in haste, only partially 

 breaking it down by a few strokes of the molar 

 teeth, and store it in the rumen for some time to 

 soften and undergo chemical process by the saliva 

 acting on it. It is then forced up the gullet in 

 small billets by the contracting action of its 

 walls, to be rechewed or become w T hat is called the 

 cud. It is then thoroughly masticated and mixed 

 with the saliva and passes down the gullet to the 

 third stomach. This goes on until the rumen is 



