Activity
Topic #3045
Fistulated Cows
Rob West
Open up a fistulated cow; give the students sleeves to keep their arms clean. Have the
students reach in and feel around in the rumen. They should notice that there is more
fluid toward the bottom of the rumen; they should also feel the sides of the rumen to feel
the alveoli that line the walls on the rumen. Some students my even feel the rhythmic
contractions or the rumen as the cow ruminates. Have them pull rumen fluid out of the
cow and strain it into a bowl with cheesecloth. They can then take the rumen fluid back to
the lab and look at it under a microscope to see the microorganisms that live in the
rumen.