Anatomy of the Ruminant Stomach

The stomach in ruminants (such as cows) is divided into four parts: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.

The rumen is the largest part of the stomach and is used for fermentation of food. The reticulum is a sieve-like structure that helps to filter food. The omasum is a muscular organ that absorbs water and nutrients. The abomasum is the true-glandular stomach and is where digestion is completed.

The rumen is divided into dorsal and ventral sacs by the right and left longitudinal grooves. The rummo-reticular groove is a groove that separates the rumen from the reticulum.