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    • Ruminants1 like cows have an amazing digestive system2. They are able to digest cellulose3 found in plant material – something humans cannot do.

    Drag and drop the text labels onto the boxes next to the diagram. Selecting or hovering over a box will highlight each area in the diagram.

    • Rumen: This is the fermentation vat. It is the largest part of the stomach.
      Rumen
    • Anus: This is a circular muscle that controls the expulsion of waste from the digestion process.
      Anus
    • Large Intestine: This is the final part of the digestive tract. Its main function is to absorb water and minerals.
      Large Intestine
    • Reticulum: Its main role is to act as a filter, trapping larger feed particles that require further mastication.
      Reticulum
    • Small intestine: It is about 40 metres long and is where additional digestion and absorption of nutrients occurs.
      Small intestine
    • Mouth: A cow uses her tongue to grasp a clump of grass and pull it into her mouth.
      Mouth
    • Omasum: It is made up of lots of leaf-like projections, creating a large surface area to absorb water.
      Omasum
    • Abomasum: Called the true stomach, it has a similar function to stomachs found in other animals, like humans.
      Abomasum


    Download Exercise
    Rights: DairyNZ and The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato Published 15 April 2021 Referencing Hub media

    Ruminants are mammals with specialised digestive systems4 that use fermentation5 processes to gain nutrients6 from plant material. Cattle, sheep, horses, deer, goats and camels are all ruminants and have adaptations7 to allow them to thrive on a plant-only diet.

    In this interactive, you can label parts of the cow’s digestive8 passage. Use your mouse or finger to hover over a box to highlight the body part to be named. Drag and drop the text labels onto the boxes next to the simplified diagram of a cow’s digestive system.

    If you want to redo an answer, click on the box and the answer will go back to the top so you can move it to another box. If you want to check your answers, use the Reset Incorrect button. This will reset incorrect answers only. When you are happy with your selection, use the Check answers button to check them. Use Reset All to practise again from the start. Selecting or hovering over a box will highlight each area in the diagram.

    For optimal viewing of this interactive, view at your screen’s default zoom setting (100%) and with your browser window view maximised.

    See the Explore a cow's digestive system activity for additional support in using this interactive.

    Label

    Description

    Mouth

    A cow uses her tongue to grasp a clump of grass and pull it into her mouth.

    Reticulum

    Its main role is to act as a filter, trapping larger feed particles that require further mastication.

    Rumen

    This is the fermentation vat. It is the largest part of the stomach.

    Abomasum

    Called the true stomach, it has a similar function to stomachs found in other animals, like humans.

    Omasum

    It is made up of lots of leaf-like projections, creating a large surface area to absorb water.

    Small intestine

    It is about 40 metres long and is where additional digestion and absorption of nutrients occurs.

    Large intestine

    This is the final part of the digestive tract. Its main function is to absorb water and minerals.

    Anus

    This is a circular muscle that controls the expulsion of waste from the digestion process.

    Use the DOWNLOAD EXERCISE button for a PDF version of this interactive.

    Acknowledgement

    This resource has been produced with the support of DairyNZ.

    DairyNZ logo.
    Rights: DairyNZ

    DairyNZ

    DairyNZ is the industry organisation that represents all New Zealand dairy farmers. DairyNZ supports farmers through investing in research, resource development, extension and advocacy to ensure sustainable dairy farming and food production.

    1. ruminants: Herbivorous, hoofed mammals, for example, sheep, cattle, deer and camels, that have a complex 3 or 4-chambered stomach. They use a fermentation process in their rumen to break down plant material.
    2. digestive system: The group of organs that are involved in the breakdown of food in the body, which includes the stomach and intestines.
    3. cellulose: A stringy and fibrous carbohydrate (a type of polymer made up of glucose molecules) that is the main constituent of the cell walls of plants, especially important in wood, cotton and hemp etc. Used in the manufacture of paper, cotton and other textiles, kapok, cellophane, rayon, explosives and some pharmaceuticals.
    4. digestive system: The group of organs that are involved in the breakdown of food in the body, which includes the stomach and intestines.
    5. fermentation: The chemical breakdown of molecules like glucose in the absence of oxygen. Fermentation is used to create food products such as beer, wine, kombucha, bread and yoghurt. In ruminants, microbial populations ferment feed and water into volatile fatty acids and gases – methane and carbon dioxide.
    6. nutrient: A substance that provides nourishment for growth or metabolism.
    7. adaptation: A change in the structure or function of something. In biology, a change in a species, as a result of natural selection. Individuals with a particular feature (adaptation) are more likely to survive and reproduce than individuals without this feature.
    8. digestive system: The group of organs that are involved in the breakdown of food in the body, which includes the stomach and intestines.

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    ACTIVITY

    Explore a cow's digestive system

    Cows are ruminants – mammals with specialised digestive systems that use fermentation processes to gain nutrients from plant material. Cattle, sheep, horses, deer, goats and camels are also ...

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      ruminants

    1. + Create new collection

      2. Herbivorous, hoofed mammals, for example, sheep, cattle, deer and camels, that have a complex 3 or 4-chambered stomach. They use a fermentation process in their rumen to break down plant material.

      fermentation

    2. + Create new collection

      3. The chemical breakdown of molecules like glucose in the absence of oxygen.

      Fermentation is used to create food products such as beer, wine, kombucha, bread and yoghurt.

      In ruminants, microbial populations ferment feed and water into volatile fatty acids and gases – methane and carbon dioxide.

      digestive system

    3. + Create new collection

      4. The group of organs that are involved in the breakdown of food in the body, which includes the stomach and intestines.

      nutrient

    4. + Create new collection

      5. A substance that provides nourishment for growth or metabolism.

      cellulose

    5. + Create new collection

      6. A stringy and fibrous carbohydrate (a type of polymer made up of glucose molecules) that is the main constituent of the cell walls of plants, especially important in wood, cotton and hemp etc. Used in the manufacture of paper, cotton and other textiles, kapok, cellophane, rayon, explosives and some pharmaceuticals.

      adaptation

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      7. A change in the structure or function of something. In biology, a change in a species, as a result of natural selection. Individuals with a particular feature (adaptation) are more likely to survive and reproduce than individuals without this feature.

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