STUDY QUESTIONS FOR WEEK TWO CONTENT
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If given a picture of a plant cell, be able to identify all of the important components relevant to
ruminant nutrition
Why can’t non herbivores digest cellulose?
Be able to identify the gross anatomical structures of a ruminant’s digestive tract, including the
inside surface structures (papillae, honeycomb, etc.) Be able to follow food through the
digestive tract.
In detail, describe the microbial ecology of the rumen. Include microorganisms, substrates, and
fermentation products. Distinguish between the three main types of rumen microbes. How do
they differ in their preferred substrates, products made, growth and division rates, pH
preferences?
In detail, diagram and/or describe the process where a cow gets energy from a bite of grass,
starting from the plant and ending with poop. Do the same for a bite of grain.
In detail, diagram and/or describe the process where a cow gets protein from a bite of grass
starting from the plant and ending with poop.
In detail, explain why it is important to synchronize energy and protein levels in cattle feed in
order to optimize nutrition for a cow.
Why do cows often gain weight when fed grain? Why do pastured cows often emit more
methane than cows fed grain? In your answer, discuss and/or diagram in detail what happens in
a cow’s rumen.
Make sure that you review the rumen physiology workshop, and be able to interpret diagrams:
“One good way of solidifying your knowledge of rumen physiology and nutrition is to
describe/draw/diagram what happens in the whole ruminant digestive system on a biochemical,
microbial, and physical basis in terms of digestion, absorption, metabolism, and excretion of the
important components of a forage plant. The most important components to consider are
proteins and carbohydrates. Use the following diagrams and charts (as well as your lecture
notes!) to guide you in your detailed description/drawing/diagram (you can even make a story
out of it) so that you fully understand how a ruminant can gain weight or make milk from eating
a forage plant. Note that you need to fully understand each of these charts presented below”.
What is BST and rBST? Why does Mike seem unconcerned about the health risks (the correct
answer is not that he went on a Monsanto sponsored fishing trip), and why the use of it was not
appropriate for some of his clients?
What is NDF a measurement of? How does it relate to daily dry matter intake (DMI)? Why
might feed a high producing dairy cow straw be a bad idea?
What is ADF a measurement of? What if you continue to add more acid?
In detail, describe other methods used in forage analysis, and measuring digestibility.
What makes a cow seek food, and what makes her satiated?
How does the anatomy and morphology, plant species, and maturity effect forage quality?
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Be able to compare and contrast feeding strategies and digestive tract physiology between
carnivores, herbivores, hindgut fermenters, foregut fermenters, ruminants, grazers, and
browsers.
Be able to justify differences between grazers and browser in terms of their digestive
physiology, based on the plant characteristics of grass and browse.
What is meant by “spatial and temporal ecological niches” in terms of multispecies grazing?