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 
