A window to the world of a cow's stomach
Researchers cannulate cows to study digestion, improve health
Published: Tuesday, December 2, 2003
Updated: Friday, June 15, 2012 23:06
 "Photo: Terry Whitt")
Terry Whitt
Researchers cannulate cows in order to find the best nutritional elements for the animals.
 "Photo: Terry Whitt")
Terry Whitt
Brian Moeller, a senior in agricultural engineering, works with a research cow at Waterman Dairy Farm.
Finding the best nutritional elements to feed domestic animals is a high priority in boosting their health. Research conducted at Ohio State is helping to find this combination with the help of cannulated cows.
"Cannulated cows are the same as all other cows in the herd except that they are fitted with an item called a cannula," said Natasha Weaver, a senior in animal science. "Basically, the animals have surgery performed upon them that creates a passageway in the side of the animal so researchers can perform readings on what takes place in the cow's rumen."
Weaver worked as a laboratory and student assistant in the Ruminant Nutrition Department as part of her summer internship at Ohio State.
Cows have four compartments in their stomach with the largest being the rumen. This cavity is the focus of operation for the research with cannulated cows.
The rumen is the part of the stomach where the majority of the animal's digestion occurs, which is what researchers are trying to learn more about. Cows typically consume 50 pounds of foliage per day, and this food sometimes does not provide the best possible nutrient values for the animals, Weaver said.
"We have had an emphasis on nutrition for years because of its importance in regards to milk production," said Maurice Eastridge, professor of dairy nutrition. "By researching what nutrients the cows receive from various feed combinations, we are hoping to improve nutrition recommendations for dairy producers and the livestock industry in general."
The digestion of food for nutrients in the rumen is done by millions of microorganisms. The abundance of microbes also keeps the cannulated cow healthy, often the healthiest in the herd, Weaver said.
"You would think that by having an opening in their sides would allow outside microbes to enter and infect the cows, but with there being such a numerous presence of natural microbes already in the rumen, the new microbes cannot compete for nutrients to survive," Weaver said.
Because these cows are so healthy, some farmers keep a cannulated cow on the farm to help improve the health of the other animals in the herd.
"Basically, the cannulated cows serve as a rumen fluid donor to sick animals. This is done by extracting rumen fluid contents from the cannulated cow and feeding it to the sick cow," Eastridge said. "The microorganisms in the fluid multiply and take the place of the bad organisms in the sick cow and make the cow healthy again."
Some of the other research projects OSU has conducted with cannulated cows deal with the utilization of protein in feeds to reduce nitrogen excretion, and the usage of cereal grain by-products as an alternate feed source for foliage in the animals diets.
Each research project must first be approved by the department and then evaluated to determine if the farm can provide the requested number of animals for the research. A faculty member serves as the principal facilitator for the research with graduate students and undergraduates carrying out the research guidelines, Eastridge said.
"I participated in a study abroad to Australia and saw cannulated cows over there, and I had no idea that this was a research project all over the world," Weaver said. "It's amazing how much we can learn from these animals for the betterment of their health and for product production."
Not many colleges have these animals and Ohio State participating in it is a great honor and privilege."
65 comments
STRANGE PHOTOS ( anyone can buy the photos for study)
This strange DATE and alphabet (13/10/15 CNB 038) WRITTEN FOUND INSIDE COW STOMACH Belive me or not, this line (13/10/15 CNB 038) written in black color was found inside cow stomach. On 13th January morning, I received a call from my wife who went to church, telling me about this strange date written inside cow stomach, but at first I was not convinced untill I saw this strange letter. As soon as I drop the call, me along with my mother-inlaw went to the spot who happen to be at one chakesang Naga couple house, situated near Naga United village daily market. I asked the house owner how and when this strange thing happened. His wife explained me that they went to a butcher and bought the whole stomach, intestine, liver etc to prepare for morning meal and when she was cleaning she saw something letter visible in black color. Making her speachless and scared of this unusual happening, she carefully washed several times untill it gives clearer picture.
By the time noon the news spread like wild fire, and people in and around the village, rushed to peep the stomach potion placed in small plate. This is not a joke or fake but this is true and the villagers are the witnesses. Now people in the village are wondering what is going to happen on 15th oct 2013 (15/10/13 CNB 038). CNB is inverted like in Ambullance. Let us pray and get ready to face any eventuality.
NOTE: If anyone interested to buy these strange photos, you may intimate me through this mail and mobile number for further information. Any amount received for this shall help my church. Email: longyans@yahoo.co.in) mobile: 09436014533.N. Longshio Yanthan
Naga united village,
Dimapur, Nagaland, India.
P.S. to all you vegans who saw you don't need protein yes you do maybe not as much consumed by the average american but you do need it so you guys eat legums or things along that line instead.
My line of work involves doing no harm to anyone while helping everyone, and I don't rely on you farmers either, I have my own garden and share with friends who also have gardens. Collectively we don't pay much for food at all, and could exist happily entirely without any assistance from meat and dairy farmers.
There is a problem with humankind when we try to justify killing the Earth's creatures for our own gain while simultaneously trying to put down those who opt out of this slaughter.
Yeah, only decades ago, veganism would have been an unhealthy lifestyle because we once believed we could not get certain things from plants. This is the 21st century, we know more about health than we did back then. Today veganism is possible, I, and the thousands of others like me, am proof, ask my doctor and he'd tell you just how fit and healthy I am, in fact since giving up meat I've only become healthier. My risk of ending up with a variety of diseases, especially cancer, has dropped significantly by cutting meat and dairy from my diet.Animals and people are all alive, we all feel pain, and people are just going to think I am another "preachy vegan" and write my words off as nothing but ignorant vegan garbage. If you want to shut out my words, that's your choice to be ignorant.
In fact the only reason I am even writing here is because people in the comment section are attacking veganism.
I don't EVER argue against the practice of consuming animal products or abusing animals unless prompted by someone else attacking those who stand against it, such as myself, or when my veganism is questioned.More people have told me to "just eat meat" than I have told people to go vegan.
But honestly, there are too many myths about veganism that are ridiculously incorrect. But then again, if you're the kind of person to generalise all vegans as jobless, know nothings who do nothing but complain all day, you clearly aren't all that intelligent in the first place.
Talk about double standard.
is a member of the 
