rumenal

ruminal, rumenal

pertaining to the rumen.

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ruminal acidosis

see ruminal pH (below).

ruminal atony

cessation of normal rhythmic contractions for more than 2 minutes. Caused by many factors including peritonitis, ruminal acidity or alkalinity. Recognized by palpation or auscultation in the left flank. Called also ruminal stasis.

ruminal collapse

collapse of ruminal function, e.g. resulting from complete anorexia, severe toxemia for several days; complete atony, shrunken, collapsed rumen, little content other than fluid.

ruminal contractions

see reticuloruminal contractions.

ruminal cycles

see reticuloruminal contractions.

ruminal distention

due to froth, free gas, fluid or feed. In the early stages rumen cycles are increased in rate and intensity. In the very last stages there is ruminal atony. See also ruminal tympany (below), vagus indigestion, pyloric obstruction, carbohydrate engorgement.

ruminal drinkers

calves fed milk or milk replacer in which reticular groove closure is incomplete so that much milk leaks into the rumen where it ferments causing a disabling indigestion.

ruminal fill

dry matter capacity; the limitation on intake of the animal.

ruminal flora

see rumen flora.

ruminal flora reconstitution

see cud transfer.

ruminal flukes

see paramphistomiasis.

foul smelling ruminal contents

putrefaction of ruminal contents, especially protein, in an atonic and defaunated rumen.

ruminal hyperkeratosis

occurs in calves nutritionally deficient in vitamin A.

ruminal hypermotility

rumen cycles occur almost continuously, at least faster than the normal high level of two cycles per minute. See vagus indigestion.

ruminal impaction

dense packing of rumen with indigestible roughage, accompanied by ruminal hypomotility. Dietary error causing slight increase in ruminal acidity or alkalinity. Called also indigestion.

ruminal indigestion

the clinical syndrome associated with ruminal atony. Includes low food intake, rumen atony, reduced fecal output.

ruminal inflammation

see rumenitis.

ruminal necrobacillosis

infection of the rumen wall by Fusobacterium necrophorum, usually secondarily to rumenitis after carbohydrate engorgement. Commonly a precursor of liver necrobacillosis.

ruminal overload

see carbohydrate engorgement.

ruminal parakeratosis

significant lesion in ruminants fed high concentrate rations; characterized by black, club- or tongue-like papillae which tend to stick together in clumps.

ruminal pH

the normal pH of 7.0 can fall as low as 5.5 to 6.5 in moderate acidosis caused by carbohydrate engorgement, 5 to 6 in acute engorgement, and 4 to 5 in the peracute disease.

ruminal protozoa absent

see defaunate.

ruminal rotation

partial rotation about the long anteroposterior axis has caused chronic tympany.

ruminal sounds

the sounds which accompany normal ruminal movements in normal cows and are audible over the left upper flank. The sounds referable to the first movement in the cycle resembles water gurgling over a gravel bed, the second sound has a booming quality like distant thunder.

ruminal squamous-cell carcinoma

rarely occurs in the rumen and may obstruct the esophageal cardia causing chronic ruminal tympany.

ruminal stasis

complete absence of ruminal movement indicated by no audible sounds and no palpable ruminal movements during a 2 minute auscultation.

ruminal tympany

distention of the rumen with gas. In cattle affected by eating too much wet legume—so-called clover bloat—the gas may be mixed with fluid phase to cause stable froth and the animal is unable to eructate and dies of asphyxia. Free gas bloat is due to physical obstruction of the esophagus by a foreign body, or by pressure from outside, or failure of the esophageal groove reflex, or acute atony of ruminal musculature as in anaphylaxis. Called also bloat.

ruminal ulceration

an uncommon lesion due usually to bacterial or fungal infection of a primary erosive lesion or chemical rumenitis; clinically inapparent unless leakage or rupture causes peritonitis.

ruminal villous atrophy

encountered in weanling ruminants on low fiber diets, e.g. pelleted feed. Causes no apparent impairment of digestion.

ruminal zoospores

motile fungal bodies, chemotactically attracted to soluble carbohydrate and may represent 8% of the total ruminal biomass in animals on high fiber diets. Their role in digestion is unsure but they do form rhizoids which penetrate plant tissue.