42 Veterinary Elements. 



The reason given for animals ruminating is that when 

 in the wild state food had to be taken in rapidly and 

 chewed at leisure in a place of safety. The process is 

 stopped by fright or any unexpected happening, such as 

 the presence of strangers; such being the case, as can be 

 confirmed by any observing person, it behooves the at- 

 tendant to avoid harsh treatment or sudden noisy move- 

 ments among cattle and sheep. The calf at early age 

 craves bulky food in order to ruminate, in fact, outside 

 of the necessity for bulky food with the idea of balancing 

 the ration, it seems necessary to distend the paunch so 

 that its walls may be stimulated to action; the other 

 extreme must be avoided, however, because the ruminat- 

 ing process is stopped if the paunch is overloaded, due 

 to paralysis of the muscular fibres of that organ. Over- 

 distension with gas, a common occurrence from feeding 

 on unmatured grasses and fodders, such as rape and 

 clover with the dew on, will also stop the process; it is 

 also stopped during the period of heat. The longer 

 rumination is stopped the harder it is to start again, simi- 

 lar to other paralytic conditions, a result also of the dry- 

 ing out and impaction of the food lying in the paunch in 

 an inert condition. A plentiful supply of water is nec- 

 essary to assist in softening the food, which usually con- 

 tains more or less woody fibre. The gullet opens into 

 the paunch which communicates with the honeycomb, or 

 water bag, as it is often called, due to its fluid contents; 

 these two compartments communicate with the manyplies 

 (omasum), and it by a small opening into the true stom- 

 ach (abomasum). The honeycomb is situated in front 

 and below the paunch, hence it becomes the water bag. 



