Dairynutrient 414 Ruminant Nutrition Dairynutrient 414 Ruminant Nutrition Glossary

The fourth digestive chamber of the digestive system of most ruminants. The abomasum is located after the forestomachs (rumen, reticulum and omasum) and before the first segment of the small intestine (i.e., the duodenum); It is sometimes referred to as the "true" stomach because of its acid-secreting ability, which is found in most other mammalian species.

Condition characterized by a low rumen pH (below 6). The normal rumen function are impeded usually because too much concentrates were fed.

Allometric equations take the general form Y = aM^b, where Y is some biological variable, M is a measure of body size, and b is some scaling exponent. See West et al. (2012) for more details.

The growth of body parts at different rates, resulting in a change of body proportions.

One of the 20 building block units of protein. Amino acids contain both an amino group (NH₂) and an acid or carboxyl group (COOH).

A pungent gas. Ammonia is extensively used to manufacture fertilizers and nitrogen containing compounds. Also, ammonia is the end-product of protein degradation by ruminal bacteria.

The part of the metabolism in which metabolites are used in the growth and repair of body tissues.

Protein released in the blood that is generated in reaction to a foreign protein (antigen) that has entered the body. Antibodies produce immunity against certain micro-organisms or their toxins.

Reproductive procedure by which semen previously collected from sires, packaged in “straws” and frozen in liquid nitrogen is thawed and manually deposited in the uterus of a cow in estrus, in the hope of conception. Artificial insemination is a technology that allows for genetic improvement based on selection and use of superior sires.(see also Timed Artificial Insemination).

A small stony concretion that may form in the stomachs of certain animals, especially ruminants. Bezoars are caused by a buildup of material in the gastrointestinal tract that the stomach can't digest.

A measure of protein quality. The percentage of protein in a feed which is not lost in the urine or the feces of the animal. Biological value is a reflection of the balance of amino acids available to the animal after digestion and absorption.

A swelling of the left side of the cow caused by a frothy material which prevents gases of fermentation from being eructed from the rumen. Occurs primarily when cows are grazing certain species of legumes especially, alfalfa. If not treated immediately, bloat can cause death in a matter of hours. More...

The part of leaf and twig growth of shrubs, woody vines, and trees that is available for animal consumption.

A unit of heat that can be used to measure the amount of energy in a feed or a ration. A calorie is the amount heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water from 14.5 ° centigrade to 15.5 ° centigrade.

(see Parturition)

Any of a group of chemical compounds, including sugars, starches, and cellulose, containing only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a ratio of hydrogen to oxygen of 2:1.

A gas produced by combustion or oxidation of organic matter. Carbon dioxide is also produced in large quantities during ruminal fermentation.

The part of the metabolism in which metabolites are oxidized for the production of work and heat.

A polymer - long chain- of glucose units. Cellulose is the most abundant organic matter in the world. It is a major component of plant cell wall. Ruminant can use cellulose as an energy source because of fermentation by bacteria in the rumen.

To crush or grind (food) in the mouth by continued action of the teeth with the help of the tongue (syn to masticate).

The central core of an ear of corn.

The thick and yellowish secretion collected from the mammary gland at the first milking after calving. The colostrum is low in lactose but normally high in total solid (24%). It is rich in fat, proteins and antibodies that help the new born calf to fight infectious diseases. The secretion collected from the second to the eighth milking is referred to as "transition milk" because of it intermediate composition between colostrum and whole milk.

Feedstuffs usually rich in energy and coming from the part of the plant that accumulate nutrient reserves for an embryo (fruits, nuts, seeds and grains). The word concentrate is also used to refer to the mixture of minerals and other supplements used to feed dairy cattle.

Base of the stem where roots arise

A measure of the amount of protein in a feed determined as the amount of nitrogen multiplied by 6.25. The factor 6.25 is the average grams of protein that contains 1 gram of nitrogen. The word "crude" refers to the fact that not all nitrogen in most feed is exclusively in the form of protein. Because most feeds contain non-protein nitrogen (NPN), crude protein generally overestimates the actual protein content of a feed.

A measure of the proportion of a feed that is digestible. The digestibility of a nutrient is often measured as the difference between the amount of nutrient ingested minus the amount of nutrient excreted in the feces, expressed as a percentage of the nutrient ingested: 100 x (intake - excreted)/intake.

A non-lactating cow. The dry period is the time between lactation, when the cow is not secreting milk.

First part of the small intestine. The secretions of the liver and pancreas are discharged into the duodenum.

The seed-bearing part of a cereal plant. An ear of corn is composed of the grains, the cob, but not the husk, which are removed during harvesting.

An organism, animal or vegetal, at its early stage of development.

The nutritive tissue of a plant seed, surrounding and absorbed by the embryo.

Method used to select cows which are eligible for hormonal treatment (such as Ovsynch). For example, the enrollment plan may be defined by the voluntary waiting period or a negative pregnancy check.

The removal of a material from an organism. Example of material excreted include tears, urine, feces, sweat and carbon dioxide. Examples of an organism's organs involved in excretion include eyes, bladder, rectum, skins and lungs.

An animal that tests as positive but who is actually negative. The percent of false positive for a test can be calculated as 100 – SPECIFICITY.

The transformation of carbohydrates in absence of oxygen by rumen micro flora that produces volatile fatty acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, and gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).

Hemicellulose and cellulose that can be quantify by the neutral detergent fiber procedure.

Coarse feeds, such as straw, corn or sorghum stalks.

Feed that stimulate rumination due to their long particle size and their high content in fiber. Generally, forages are composed of the leaves and stems (stalk of plants. The bacterial population of the rumen allows the ruminant to digest forages.

Usually expressed as two percentages. The percentage of ration dry matter that is made up of forage and the percentage of ration dry matter that is composed of concentrates. The two total 100. For example a 50:50 forage to concentrate ratio means that a cow eating 20 kg of dry matter of that ration would eat 10 kg of concentrate dry matter and 10 kg of forage dry matter.

A sweet sugar occurring in many fruits and honey.

The stomach and the intestine as a functional unit.

To begin to or to cause to grow (syn to sprout.

A six carbon sugar which is the building block of starch and cellulose. Glucose is rapidly fermented into volatile fatty acids by ruminal bacteria.

A three carbon sugar which form the backbone of triglycerides and other fats.

An enlargement of the thyroid gland associated with iodine deficiency and visible as a swelling at the front of the neck.

A period of 9 to 24 hours preceding the ovulation during which cows are receptive to bulls and exhibit a typical behavior of mounting other cows or standing when mounted by other cows (or a bull).

A type of carbohydrate similar to cellulose except that it contain not only glucose but also other 6 carbon sugars and also 5 carbon sugars.

An iron rich protein found in the red blood cells which function as a carrier of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Strong acid secreted by the abomasum that breaks down chemical bounds and thus contributes to the digestion of feeds.

Decomposition of a chemical compound by reaction with water.

The arrangement of flowers on a stalk that characterizes a plant species.

A unit of measurement of the amount of biologically active vitamin in a feed or required in a diet.

A condition characterized by a lack of appetite, especially for concentrates and an abnormally high concentration of ketone bodies (e.g., acetone, hydroxy-butyrate) in the blood. Ketosis or acetonemia occurs when the cow mobilizes large amounts of body reserves in early lactation.

One thousand calories.

A disaccharide composed of a unit of glucose and a unit of galactose. Also known as milk sugar, lactose is produced commercially from whey.

A sedimentary rock, chiefly calcium carbonate (CaCO3), containing variable amounts of magnesium. It is used as building stone, but also as a source of calcium in ration of animals.

Protein coated packages that transport fats in the bloodstream

Any compound that helps to prevent the accumulation of abnormal or excessive amounts of fat in the liver, control blood sugar levels, and enhance fat and carbohydrate metabolism.

To grind or crush (food) with or as if with the teeth to prepare it for swallowing and digestion (Syn: Chew).

One million calories.

Refers to all of the changes that nutrients undergo after they are absorbed from the digestive tract. Metabolism is divided into anabolism and catabolism.

A product of metabolism of nutrients.

In ruminant nutrion, metabolizable protein, often abbreviated MP, is the amount of digestible protein that reach the small intestine, which is the source of amino acids absorbed into the blood. The three main sources of MP include rumen undegraded protein (the dietary protein fraction that has not been degraded in the rumen), the microbial (bacterial) protein synthesized in the rumen from the fermentation process, and the endogenous protein (intestinal digestive enzymes and sloughed cells from the gastro-intestinal tract). The latter source is minimal.

Animal or vegetal organism of microscopic dimension (syn Microorganism).

(see Microbe).

To grind, pulverize or break down into smaller particle size in a mill.

Having one digestive cavity (i.e., one stomach).

Morbidity is an incidence of ill health. It is measured in various ways, often by the probability that a randomly selected individual in a population at some date and location would become seriously ill in some period of time. Contrast to mortality.

is incidence of death in a population. It is measured in various ways, often by the probability that a randomly selected individual in a population at some date and location would die in some period of time. Contrast to morbidity.

A cow that has given birth more than once.

The amount of energy in a feed which is available for milk production and body maintenance. Feeds generally are similar in total energy content but vary widely in the proportion of the total energy which is available for maintenance and milk production. The remainder of the energy in the feed is lost in the feces urine, gas belched form the rumen and excess heat production by the cow. In the cow, it takes 0.74 Mcal NEl to produce 1 kg of milk containing 4% fat and the net energy content of most feed range from 0.9 to 2.2 Mcal NEl per kg dry matter.

Carbohydrates that are not part of the neutral detergent fiber, but generally accumulate in the plant as energy reserve (e.g., starch). These carbohydrates usually are more rapidly and more completely digested than the fibrous carbohydrates (syn Non-structural carbohydrate).

Nitrogen that comes from a source other than protein but may be used by a ruminant in the building of protein. NPN sources include compounds such as urea and anhydrous ammonia, which are used in feed formulations for ruminant only.

(see non-fiber carbohydrate).

extremely fat.

Lipid, usually of vegetal origin, which is liquid at room temperature (as opposed to fats).

The third stomach of a ruminant between the reticulum and the abomasum. It is characterized by the presence of muscular leaves that may have an absorptive function.

Compounds composed of carbon oxygen hydrogen and nitrogen. All living organisms are composed primarily of organic matter. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins are examples of organic compounds.

This is a German word that refers to leftovers of a meal. In dairy nutrition the orts is the amount of feed refused from a daily offering. In dairy nutrition research, orts must be sampled and analyzed in order to calculate with precision the consumption of dry matter and nutrients by the cow. Orts expressed as a percent of dry matter offered is a criteria to determine whether an animal was fed ad libitum (Syn: refusals).

Release of an oocyte (i.e., egg) from a mature follicle. In dairy cows, ovulation occurs 24 to 32 hours after the first standing event of behavioral estrous. Similarly, ovulation occurs 24 to 32 hours after an injection of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone; (Gn-RH) administered in the presence of a dominant follicle.

1. Small projections on the inner surface of the rumen and the reticulum wall that increase the surface area of absorption of volatile fatty acids and other end-products of bacterial fermentation.

Protuberances at the surface of the tongue that detect the taste of a feed.

The act of giving birth (Syn Calving).

Organic substance in which the carbon atoms are linked together in a ring structure (also called aromatic structure). Lignin is an example of phenolic compound.

The process by which the chlorophyll of plants converts carbon dioxide and water into simple sugars with the simultaneous release of oxygen.

The structure that contains the seeds of leguminous plants. It usually splits open after drying of the plant.

To free from coarseness; to refine.

Having more than one digestive cavity; Having a stomach divided into different chambers (e.g., ruminants).

The set of individuals, items, or data from which a statistical sample is taken. In statistical terms, a population is defined as a larger set from which samples are obtained.

1. The degree with which a measurement is reproducible, that is, yielding similar results when repeated (see also Accuracy).
2. the number of significant digits to which a value has been reliably measured.

1. A young cow that is pregnant for the first time. 2. A cow that has given birth once.

Digestive enzyme that breakdown proteins into peptides.

A chain or multiple chains of amino acids (more than 100). Proteins are composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen nitrogen (16% on average,found in the form of amino acids) and often sulfur. Proteins have important functions in the body. They are present in all plants and animals and they are essential in the ration of animals. See also Crude Protein.

Most primitive form of life in the animal kingdom composed of only one microscopic cell.

The passage connecting the stomach (abomasum) to the duodenum.

Reversal of the natural direction in which contents flow through a tube or a cavity in the body. During rumination, rumen contents are regurgitated through the esophagus in the mouth for further mastication.

The first two stomachs of a ruminant comprised of the reticulum and the rumen. A microbial population lives in the rumen and enable the cow to digest dietary fiber. The digesta in the rumen and the reticulum is being exchanged once about every 50 to 60 seconds under the influence of a rhythmic cycle of contraction which also results in passage of some digesta from the reticulum into the omasum through the reticulo-omasal orifice.

A type of bacteria that live in association with the roots of legume plants and make the nitrogen of the air available to the plants.

A root-like usually horizontal stem growing under or along the ground that sends out roots from its lower surfaces and leaves or shoots from its upper surface.

Part of the plant, usually under ground that maintain the plant, withdraw water and other nutrient from the soil, and sometimes accumulate reserves of nutrients.

see diarrhea.

The movement of a material from one place to another. Secretion is often required to move a material to the place where it can be excreted. Examples of materials secreted include all materials excreted (see Excretion above), plus enzymes, hormones and saliva. The organs that play a role in secretion include all those involved in excretion, plus the digestive glands like salivary glands, pancreas, liver and gallbladder and endocrine glands like the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, and ovaries and testes.

Structure constructed to help preserving forages as silage. Different types of silos includes: Tower silo, oxygen limiting silo, trench silo, etc.

(a) Any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells. (b) Milk somatic cells are primarily leukocytes (white blood cells) and some epithelial cells shed from the lining of the mammary gland. The leukocytes are derived from blood and consist of macrophages, lymphocytes, and polymorphonuclear cells, primarily neutrophils (PMN). Normal milk does contain somatic cells, and the concentration of these cells is almost always less than 100,000 cells/ml in milk from uninfected/uninflamed mammary quarters.

To grow or to develop quickly (syn to germinate).

Standard deviation (SD) is a measure of the dispersion of a set of data from its mean. If the data points are further from the mean, there is higher deviation within the data set. The SD shares the same unit as the mean. The SD is calculated as the square root of variance by determining the variation between each data point relative to the mean. The symbol for standard deviation is σ (the Greek letter sigma). Approximately, in a normal distribution,
38% of all observations are within ± 0.5 SD units of the mean;
68% of all observations are within ± 1 SD units of the mean;
95% of all observations are within ± 2 SD units of the mean;
99% of all observations are within ± 3 SDunits of the mean.

A calf born dead or that dies within 48 hours of birth.

Fodder; mature-cured stalks from which seeds have been removed, such as stalks of corn or stalk of sorghum without heads.

(see Fibrous carbohydrate).

The intimate living together of two dissimilar organism in any of various mutually beneficial relationships.

A two-lobed gland located in the throat and secreting the hormone thyroxin, which regulates the iodine metabolism in the body.

Method of AI breeding in which the timing of artificial insemination (AI) is based on a hormonal protocol that synchronizes the timing of ovulation. This is in contrast to timing insemination based on direct or indirect detection of estrous behavior. Hormonal protocols for Timed AI were developed in 1995 and have been widely adopted by dairy producers for reproductive management.

Mixture of the forages, concentrates, minerals and vitamin supplements of a ration. The total mixed ration has the advantage of offering a balanced ration at each meal rather than on a 24 h basis.

Ray in sunlight which enables vitamin D to be synthesized under the skin.

A nitrogen-containing organic compound found in urine and other body fluids. Urea is synthesized from ammonia and carbon dioxide. Urea can be used as fertilizer or as a source of nitrogen in the ration of ruminants.

Particles that carry cholesterol and fat throughout the bloodstream. These particles are released from the liver into the bloodstream. They are similar to chylomicrons which originate from the gut because they both carry cholesterol and triglycerides which are gradually released in the bloodstream to be absorbed by body cells along the way. In the process of losing triglycerides, the VLDLs grow smaller and turn into LDLs (Low Density Lipoprotein) which have lost all their triglycerides.

Evaporating readily at normal temperature and pressure.

Products of fermentation of carbohydrates (and some amino acids) by the rumen microorganisms. Acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid are the primary volatile fatty acids which are absorbed through the rumen wall and used as an energy source by the cow.

The number of days between calving and first attempt to breed a cow. A typical voluntary waiting period is 45 days. However, it may varies from less than 40 to 80 days depending on farmer’s preference and reproductive protocol in place on the farm.