The process of raising animals on a farm or personal plot often referred to as fattening. And this is not accidental: the final result depends on the quality of feed, their assimilation and quantity - timely weight gain, achievement of standard indicators. In order for the result of the work to be good, before starting the project, it is necessary to get acquainted with the structural features of the digestive organs of pets and their physiology. Especially a complex system- stomach of ruminants.
From the mouth through the esophagus, food enters one of the sections of the stomach.
The stomach of this group of inhabitants of a farmstead or farm has a special structure. It consists of 4 departments:
- Scar.
- Net.
- Book.
- Abomasum.
Each of the parts has its own functions, and physiology is aimed at the most complete assimilation of feed - obtaining energy and " building material" for body.
Scar
This is not a true stomach, but rather one of its 3 vestibules, which are called the proventriculus. The scar is the largest part of the gastric system. It is a bag of a curved configuration, which occupies a significant part of the abdominal cavity - almost the entire left half of it and the posterior part of the right. The volume of the scar increases with growth and by the age of six months reaches:
- from 13 to 23 liters in small animals (sheep, goats);
- from 100 to 300 liters in large ruminants (cows).
The walls of the scar do not have a mucous membrane and do not secrete enzymes for digestion. They are lined with many mastoid formations, which make the inner surface of the department rough and increase its area.
Net
A small rounded bag, the mucous membrane of which forms transverse folds, resembling a network with holes of different diameters. Digestive enzymes here, as in the rumen, are not produced, but the size of the cells allows you to sort the contents and skip only pieces of food of a certain caliber.
Book
Border organ between the proventriculus and the true stomach. The mucosa of the department is grouped into unidirectional folds of different sizes adjacent to each other. At the top of each "leaf" there are coarse short papillae. The structure of the book provides for further mechanical processing of the incoming feed and transit to the next department.
Scheme of the structure of the book: 1 - bottom; 2- entrance; 3-6 - leaves
Abomasum
This is a real stomach with all the functions inherent in this organ. The shape of the abomasum is pear-shaped, curved. The expanded section is connected to the exit from the book, and the narrowed end is smoothly connected to the intestinal cavity. The internal cavity is lined with mucous membranes and has glands of digestive secretion.
Physiological phenomena in the digestion of ruminants
For the full development of the animal, the process of processing and assimilation of feed in ruminants must be constant. This does not mean that you need to constantly fill the feeder. Nature provides for a long period of processing each portion of food in adult ruminants.
The absorption process begins in the oral cavity. Here, the feed is moistened with saliva, partial grinding, and the fermentation process begins.
First stage
Solid and dry food gets into the rumen. A favorable environment for the development of microorganisms has been created here:
- low oxygen content;
- lack of active ventilation;
- humidity;
- suitable temperature - 38 - 41 ° C;
- lack of light.
The food fragments entering the rumen are no longer as coarse as in the feeder. Due to the primary chewing and exposure to saliva, they become pliable to grinding on the rough surface of the scar epithelium and processing by microbes.
Subjected to these processes, the feed mass remains in the rumen from 30 to 70 minutes. During this period, a small portion of it reaches the desired condition and enters the book through the grid, but the main part undergoes the chewing process.
Phenomenon definition
Chewing gum is the process of repeatedly regurgitating food from the rumen into the mouth in order to increase its digestibility.
The reflex mechanism includes a process that takes place periodically and constantly. It is not all the incoming food that is burped, but its individual portions. Each portion moves back to the oral cavity, where it is again moistened with saliva and chewed for about a minute, then again enters the first pancreatic region. The successive contraction of the fibers of the mesh and the muscles of the scar advances the chewed part of the food deep into the first section.
The chewing period lasts about an hour (approximately 50 minutes), then is interrupted for a while. During this interval, contractile and relaxing movements (peristalsis) continue in the digestive system, but regurgitation does not occur.
Important! The intake of chewed feed into the rumen activates microorganisms, which, feeding on their juices, increase the availability of food for digestion by animals.
The complex assimilation of vegetable proteins is facilitated by the activity of bacteria that constantly live in the sections of the gastric digestion of ruminants. These microorganisms reproduce several generations of their own kind per day.
In addition to participating in the breakdown of cellulose, rumen microorganisms are also the most important suppliers in the ruminant menu:
- animal protein;
- many B vitamins - folic, nicotinic, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, biotin, thiamine, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, as well as fat-soluble phyloquinone (vitamin K), which affects blood clotting.
This "mutually beneficial cooperation" - the use of the host organism for the vital activity of bacteria and the assistance of this macroorganism in the implementation of physiological processes is called symbiosis - a widespread phenomenon in nature.
Digestion of ruminants is multifaceted: many processes occur simultaneously. Separate portions of food are constantly moving into the grid, which passes pieces of a suitable caliber, and pushes large ones back with contractile movements.
After a period of rest, which lasts in ruminants different time(depending on conditions, type of food and type of animal), a new cud period begins.
Important! The chewing process does not stop at night, but, on the contrary, is activated.
The rumen is called the fermentation chamber of the ruminant body, and for good reason. It is in the rumen that 70–75% of the feed, including cellulose, undergoes splitting, which is accompanied by the release of large volumes of gases (methane, carbon dioxide) and fatty (so-called volatile) acids - sources of lipids (acetic, propionic, butyric). The food becomes digestible.
Further processing of food components
Only food particles already sufficiently fermented (by saliva, plant sap and bacteria) pass through the mesh.
Between the leaves of the book they are:
- additionally crushed;
- undergo further bacterial treatment;
- partially lose water (up to 50%);
- enriched with animal protein.
Here there is an active absorption of volatile fatty acids (up to 90%) - a source of glucose and fats. By the time of exit from the book, the lump of food is a homogeneous (homogeneous) mass.
Unlike other animals, the stomach of ruminants (abomasum) produces juice containing digestive enzymes continuously, and not in response to food intake. For a day of rennet juice containing pepsin, lipase, chymosin and hydrochloric acid, produced from 4 - 11 liters in sheep to 40 - 80 liters in adult cows. The continuity of the secretion of rennet is explained by the constant supply of a sufficiently prepared mass of food from the proventriculus.
The quantity and quality of rennet juice directly depends on the composition of the feed. The largest volume and the most significant activity of the secretory fluid is observed after the receipt of fresh grass or hay of legumes, grains, cakes.
In the process of digestion of food in the abomasum, hormones of the liver, pancreas, thyroid, gonads and adrenal glands take part.
The walls of the abomasum, and later the intestines, complete the process of digestion, absorbing previously undigested substances. Undigested residues are excreted in the form of manure. Due to deep bacterial treatment, it is a very valuable product of agricultural activity, always in demand on the market and widely used in crop production.
Functions of the gastric departments
| The Department | Functions |
|---|---|
| Scar | Fermentation, fermentation, creation and maintenance of an environment for symbiotic bacteria, food enrichment, chewing gum, cellulose breakdown, absorption of available substances |
| Net | Sorting food pieces |
| Book | Transit + additional grinding of individual particles; Absorption of water and fatty acids |
| Abomasum | Final digestion involving internal digestive organs and partial assimilation, transport of food residues to the intestines |
Management of ruminant feeding
The harmonious development of livestock directly depends on the correct composition of the feed according to age.
Formation of the digestive organs of young animals
In young ruminants, the cud phenomenon, as well as the chambers of the gastric system, are not formed from birth. Abomasum at this time is the largest chamber of the gastric system. Milk, which is fed to newborns at the beginning of life, enters immediately into the abomasum, bypassing the undeveloped proventriculus. Digestion of this type of food occurs with the help of gastric secretions and partly enzymes from the mother's body present in the product.
To enable the process of chewing gum and the start of the rumen, plant foods and their inherent microorganisms are needed. Usually, young animals are transferred to plant foods from the age of 3 weeks.
However, modern cultivation technologies allow for some forcing the process of laying a typical ruminant digestion:
- from the third day they begin to include small portions of combined feed in the diet of young animals;
- offer the calves a small lump of maternal regurgitated food - this very quickly causes the phenomenon of chewing gum;
- provide a regular supply of water.
Young animals that eat milk should be gradually transferred to plant foods. If the cubs are born during the grazing period, then the mixing of feed in the diet occurs naturally - along with mother's milk, newborns very soon taste grass.
But most of the calving occurs in autumn - winter, so the transfer to a mixed, and then a vegetable diet entirely depends on the owner of the herd.
It is during the period of mixed nutrition that begins:
- development of all departments of gastric digestion, which is fully formed by the age of 6 months;
- insemination of the internal surfaces of the scar with beneficial microflora;
- ruminant process.
General issues of ruminant feeding
The bacterial component of the diet, species composition microorganisms changes with the change of food (even vegetable). Therefore, the transfer, for example, from dry feed to succulent feed should also not occur at once, but be extended over time with a gradual replacement of components. A sharp change in diet is fraught with dysbacteriosis, and hence worsening of digestion.
And of course, with any type of feeding, food should be varied. Only if this condition is met, it will ensure the supply of a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements to the ruminant's body.
The predominance of one type of feed can unbalance the harmonious processes in the body, shift them towards increased fermentation, gas formation or peristalsis. And any strengthening of one of the aspects of digestion will certainly weaken the others. As a result, the animal may become ill.
Important! In addition to fodder, it is of great importance to provide livestock with a sufficient amount of drinking water, even when grazing. Its deficiency slows down digestion, reduces chewing activity and digestibility of feed.
Thus, well-organized nutrition, taking into account the peculiarities of digestion in ruminants, is the key to the proper development of farm animals and excellent results in their cultivation.
High-legged, in most cases (slender animals). The number of fingers is two or four, but functionally the limb is always two-toed, since the lateral fingers, if any, are underdeveloped and, under normal conditions, when walking usually do not touch the ground. The metapodia of the lateral rays of the foot and hand are reduced to some extent and do not articulate with the bones of the tarsus and carpus; of the lateral metapodia, usually only proximal or distal rudiments are preserved; often, especially on the hind limbs, they disappear altogether. The metapodia of the middle (III and IV) rays are usually fused and form an unpaired bone. The ulna in the distal and middle part is significantly reduced, often fused with the radius. The fibula undergoes an even greater reduction; from it, only the distal end is preserved as a small independent bone, the so-called ankle bone, which articulates with the tibia, calcaneus (calcaneus) and talus (astragalus) and is functionally part of the tarsus. The exception is members of the deer family (Tragulidae), in which the fibula is preserved more completely and merges with the tibia in the lower half. In the wrist, a small polygonal bone (trapezoideum) merges with the capitate (capitaturn s. magnum) or is rudimentary; a large polygonal bone (trapezium) disappears or merges with previous bones. In the tarsus, the fusion of the cuboid bone (cuboideum) with the navicular bone (naviculare) is characteristic of all groups of ruminants. The second and third sphenoid bones (cuneHorme II and III) also merge into one. The distal articular block of the middle metapodia has a more or less pronounced median crest. The bases of the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae are perforated by a canal for the passage of the vertebral arteries.
Unlike corns, the terminal phalanges of ruminants are dressed in real hooves. Instead of a coracoid process, the lower arch of the atlas bears on the ventral surface only a slightly protruding tubercle. The odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra (epistrophy) has the shape of a hollow semicylinder. Thoracic vertebrae thirteen, rarely fourteen.
The mastoid (mastoid) part behind the squamosal extends to the outer surface of the skull. The eye socket is always closed. The frontal bones usually bear some form of outgrowths, horns. The sagittal sagittal crest on the skull is not developed, even though the parietal crests on both sides are in contact with each other. The articular fossa for articulation with the lower jaw and the articular condyle of the latter have a transversely elongated shape. The facial and orbital parts of the lacrimal bone are evenly developed. On its front surface there is often a preorbital fossa for the preorbital skin glands. Between the lacrimal, nasal, frontal and maxillary bones, many forms have so-called ethmoidal fissures.
There are no incisors in the upper jaw. At the bottom, they are spatulate or chisel-shaped. The upper canines may also disappear, but in hornless forms they, on the contrary, are strongly developed and protrude downward from the oral cavity (deer, musk deer). The fangs of the lower jaw adjoin the incisors and take the form of the latter. The posterior molars are lunate (selenodont). Some groups develop hypsodontia. The anterior molars (premolars) form a continuous row with the posterior molars. The first premolar does not develop. The second premolar is not canine-shaped like that of camels. There is a significant toothless gap between the canines and molars.
The skin has a normal hairline, consisting of a thinner awn than that of pigs and a thin, delicate fluff (undercoat). The formation of a thick subcutaneous layer of adipose tissue does not take place. In addition to the mammary, sebaceous and sweat glands characteristic of all mammals, and the skin of most ruminants, a number of special skin glands peculiar only to them are formed. The main ones are:
1. Interhoof, or interdigital in the form of a bag-like or bottle-shaped protrusion of the skin, opening either between the bases of the hooves, or slightly above them on the front side of the limbs;
2. Preorbital glands of various sizes and shapes, located in the corresponding recesses on the surface of the lacrimal bones of the skull;
3. Carpal glands, externally protruding in the form of a pillow or a tuft of hair on the front (dorsal) side of the limbs, below the carpal joint (available only in some bovids.
4. Tarsal (tarsal) and metatarsal (metatarsal) glands, also looking like pillows or tufts of protruding hair; the former are located on the inner (medial) side of the hock (ankle) joint, and the latter are lower, on the inner side of the metatarsus;
5. Inguinal glands - sac-like protrusions of the skin in the back of the abdomen on the sides of the mammary gland (available only in some bovids.
The skin glands secrete a secret of various consistency and odor, which probably serves for the purpose of recognizing and finding each other by animals on the trail. The function of some glands is associated with sexual activity. The presence or absence of individual glands in some cases is a systematic feature of a particular group.
The stomach is complex, divided into clearly demarcated four (rarely three) sections: scar, mesh, book and abomasum. Actually the stomach, its digestive part, is only the last of these departments. In the process of digestion, regurgitation of food swallowed in the first section of the stomach and its secondary chewing (chewing gum) take place. The placenta is multiple cotyledonous, except for the deer. The mammary gland is two- or four-lobed, located in the region of the posterior part of the abdominal wall.
Evolution and classification of ruminants
Ruminants appeared on the geological scene in the Eocene in the form of small forms, which, compared with non-ruminants, occupied an insignificant place in the fauna of that era. At present, they represent the most progressive and large group ungulates, which has not yet survived its heyday. The evolution of ruminants was in the direction of adapting to feeding exclusively on plant foods and fast running as a means of escaping from enemies and a way of using vast, but scarce and waterless forage areas. Associated with this are: the shape of the lunate molars adapted for chewing hard plant foods, the elongation of the middle and reduction of the lateral rays of the four-toed limb, which functionally turns into a two-toed one, the strengthening of the central rays (III and IV) and the fusion of their metapodia into one unpaired bone, increasing limb strength. The complication of the stomach is also associated with adaptation to the diet of indigestible, rich in fiber, plant foods and with protection from possible enemies. The voluminous first section of the stomach, the scar, allows the animal to quickly swallow a large amount of poorly or completely unchewed food and process it in a shelter, in a calm environment. Under the influence of saliva and fiber-splitting microorganisms (ciliates), food in the rumen is macerated and burped in small portions for secondary chewing into the oral cavity. Secondarily chewed, it enters for further processing by digestive juices and bacteria in the following sections of the stomach and intestines. This direction of evolution allowed the initially small ruminants to become winners in life's struggle and displace most of the rest, less adapted to changing environmental conditions, groups of ungulates.
Like other groups of artiodactyls, ruminants originate from primitive lower or middle Eocene paleodonts (Palaeodonta). Their earliest representatives appeared in the second half of the Eocene.
The genus Gelocus Aymard from the Lower Oligocene of Europe was morphologically close and, very likely, the direct ancestor of modern higher ruminants (Resoga). The upper incisors of Gelocus were lost, the anterior premolars lacked the shape and position of a canine. On the hind limbs, the middle metapodia had already fused into one bone, but on the forelimbs they were still separate. Close to modern deer (Tragulidae) and sometimes included with them in the same family. Gelocus itself can be considered as one of the immediate ancestors of the bovids (Bwidae). The divergence that began early in the Gelocidae group led to the appearance of forms (the genera Lophiomeryx, Prodremotherium, and some others) that served as the starting point for other Recoga families.
Of the other extinct groups of ancient ruminants, mention should be made of Protoceratids (Protoceratidae) - probable descendants of hypertragulids that existed from the Lower Oligocene to the Lower Pliocene in the territories North America. For the first time in the history of artiodactyls, representatives of this group had horns. The latter represented two or three pairs of bone outgrowths on the maxillary, nasal and frontal bones, probably covered with skin and hair, like in modern giraffes. Protoceratids have left no descendants in the modern fauna.
Modern ruminants make up five or six families.
1. deer(Tragulidae), the most primitive group, retaining a large number of archaic features characteristic of the common ancestors of the suborder. There are no horns. The ulna, fibula, and bones of the lateral rays of the carpus are fully preserved, although to a lesser degree developed. The metapodia of the central rays are completely fused only on the hind limbs; on the front, they remain either completely independent, or merge only partially. Only three sections are developed in the stomach, the book remains in its infancy. The placenta is diffuse. Includes only two modern genera: Tragulus Brisson from Southeast Asia and Hyemoschus Gray from Equatorial Africa.
All the rest, the so-called higher ruminants, have a fully developed tarsus on all limbs, a four-parted stomach, a multiple cotyledon placenta, and are usually combined into the superfamily (or infraorder) Resoga, which includes the remaining five families.
Class - mammals
Infraclass - placental
Suborder - ruminants
Literature:
1. I.I. Sokolov "Fauna of the USSR, Ungulate animals" Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 1959.
ruminant animals. Chewing cud artiodactyl mammals. These include Johnston's okapi, deer, deer, giraffes, antelopes, cattle, sheep, and goats. All ruminants, except deer, have a four-chamber STOMACH. They got their name... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
- (animals). The Old Testament Law classified animals with cloven hooves and fat as clean animals; their flesh could be eaten (Lev. 11:3 et seq.; Deut. 14:6). The exceptions among gum chewers were camel, jerboa and hare, because they … bible encyclopedia Brockhaus
- (Ruminantia), a suborder of artiodactyls. Known from the Upper Eocene; descended from primitive deer. For the most part slender, high-legged animals, with four, rarely two toes with hooves. Top, no incisors; instead of them, a dense callused roller ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary
RUMINANTS- Ruminants, Ruminantia, a group of artiodactyl mammals (Artiodactyla) belonging to the order Ungulates (Ungu lata). The legs of artiodactyls bear an even number of fingers due to the reduction of the first toe; the second and fifth fingers are usually developed ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia
Ruminants ... Wikipedia
- (Ruminantia) suborder of mammals of the artiodactyl order. The stomach in most of the stomach consists of 4 sections: scar, mesh, book, and abomasum; in some females, the 3rd section (book) is absent. In the process of digestion, an important role is played by ... ... Big soviet encyclopedia
- (Cotylophora) a group of mammals that includes typical ruminants. This name is based on the structure of the nutritional organs of the fetus during intrauterine development. In mammals, it is on the outer germinal membrane (serous) of the embryo ... ...
Mammals in which the afterbirth (placenta, see) is equipped with villi, more or less evenly distributed over the entire surface of the serous membrane (chorion), and is called blurry, or spilled (placenta diffusa). These include:…… Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
- (Bovidae) ** * * The family of bovids, or bovines, is the most extensive and diverse group of artiodactyls, includes 45-50 modern genera and about 130 species. Bovids form a natural, clearly defined group. No matter how ... ... Animal life
Domestic artiodactyl ruminants of the family of bovids of the genus of real bulls. Descended from the wild bull of the tour. Bred mainly for milk and meat. The average annual milk yield of dairy cows is 4 5 thousand kg, the maximum is about 20 thousand kg; ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Many authors wrote novels and composed songs about horses. These animals are mentioned in many poems, books, films, serials, they played a very important role in them, served as an excellent background. What is so magical about this word - a horse, that many are not able to talk about these animals indifferently? Little beloved pony - this horse is the dream of almost every girl. Well, almost every boy in childhood wants to become an excellent rider.
Noble eyes, long ears, perfect design, impeccable voice (they can laugh very beautifully) and thick hair (we are talking about wool and mane) - this is what the horse characterizes.
Man's irreplaceable friend
The domestic horse is a mammal belonging to the order of equids and the equine family. It was domesticated about 3.5 thousand years BC in the territory of present-day Kazakhstan. Since ancient times, people have valued the power, speed and intelligence of horses. It is no exaggeration to say that these beautiful animals have changed our lives and influenced the historical development. Modern symbol of strength, courage and beauty, and many people call their relationship with people friendship.
Thanks to horses, people were able to cover great distances in a shorter time, which brought development in communication and trade. They played no less important role in the development of industry. In addition, many historical battles were won thanks to the cavalry.
Currently, these animals are rarely involved in hard, physical work, they are increasingly bred for sporting purposes to participate in races and other competitions. It is also worth noting that many wealthy people are passionate about horse breeding as a hobby. for such people? The answer is simple: a great way to earn money.
Origin story
The immediate ancestors of modern domestic horses were wild horses, which can now only be found in the open areas of Africa and Asia. The oldest living species is the Przewalski's horse, but the palm, of course, belongs to Arabian horses in terms of beauty and grace. It was the crossing of representatives of this breed with the European one that marked the beginning of the spread of new breeds.
specific needs and climatic conditions formed a number of features in individual breeds. Breeds with long, strong legs are the fastest, and animals with a massive body work well. Individuals with long hair and a mane thrive in cold, harsh climates.
The anatomy of these quadrupeds is almost the same, but they may differ in the proportions of individual parts of the body and in color, that is, the color of the coat.
Classification
- Class: Mammals.
- Order: Odd-toed ungulates.
- Family: Equidae.
- Genus: Horses.
- Type: Wild horse.
- Subspecies: Domestic horse, Przewalski's horse, tarpan (extinct).
breeds
Horse breeds are their division by origin, that is, there are natural breeds and those artificially grown by man by crossing individuals. For an example of a natural breed, one can cite which originally lived only on the Shetland Islands. An example of an artificially obtained breed is the thoroughbred English horse, which was bred for speed, which is why it participates mainly in racing.
Description of the horse - types:
Thoroughbreds;
Cold-blooded (with a strong, massive design - workhorses and ponies);
Warm-blooded (mixed).
In general, more than 350 types of horse breeds are distinguished.
horse evolution
Over the centuries, these four-legged creatures have adapted to surviving in open areas covered with sparse vegetation. They grew up in ecosystems that were predominantly grazing ruminant domestic animals, so they had a slow pace of development.
The earliest representatives of the horse family are small mammals from the genus Hyracotherium. They lived on Earth during the Eocene, 45 to 55 million years ago. Three fingers grew on their hind limbs, four on their front. Over the following centuries, the extra fingers on the forelimbs disappeared, so the first representatives of modern horses appeared.
Dimensions
The height of horses, like many other four-legged animals, is measured from the base to the so-called withers - the upper fixed point of the body, that is, the junction of the neck and spine. The size of the horse depends on the breed and color. Light domestic riding horses are 142-163 cm in height at the withers and can reach a weight of 380-550 kg. Large individuals reach 157-173 cm in height at the withers, and weigh from 500 to 600 kg.
sense organs
The eyes of the horses are large, located on the sides of the head. The angle of their vision includes more than 350 degrees. They see perfectly both day and night, but they do not distinguish some colors. Their sense of smell is better developed than that of humans, but worse than that of dogs. However, it is believed that this sense plays an excellent role in communication between horses, as well as in identifying odors from environment, including pheromones. They also have very well developed hearing.
- Their life expectancy can reach 30 years. Only about 2% of individuals can survive this age threshold.
- Race horses can go as fast as 65 km/h.
- Stallions, as a rule, have better developed eyesight than mares, because they must constantly be awake, protecting the herd from predators.
- Horses can fall asleep standing up.
- The color of the mane and tail is usually different from the color of the coat.
- The very first breed of domestic horse was bred more than 5.5 thousand years ago.
- Horses have the largest eyes of any mammal.
- There are 205 bones in their skeleton.
- The largest ever living stallion weighed 1372 kilograms.
Gaur is a rare artiodactyl animal, not known to a wide range of nature lovers. This infamy looks unfair, because the gaur, along with the bison, shares the title of the largest wild bull on the planet. But if the bison claims the first place only due to its weight, then the gaur deserves the palm due to its size. From the point of view of taxonomy, the closest relative of this ungulate is banteng, and more distant are bison, bison and buffalo.
Gaur (Bos frontalis).
At first glance at the gaura, its colossal dimensions are striking: old males can reach a record 330 cm in length and 220 cm at the withers! The length of their tail reaches 1 m, the length of the horns is up to 115 cm, the weight can reach 1 ton, and according to some sources, even more. Females are about a quarter smaller. Most surprising of all, with such a size, the gaur does not at all give the impression of a heavy and clumsy animal. His heavy, broad-browed head is compensated by a well-developed neck, high withers and sloping shoulders - by strong and slender legs. In a word, the gaur looks like a real athlete.
The gaur's short coat accentuates its prominent musculature.
The color of these bulls is brown, turning into almost black in the area of the head, neck and upper legs. The lower part of the legs is white, the nasal mirror is light. The horns diverge to the sides, and then bend up and slightly back, while their lower part is off-white, and the ends are black. Sexual dimorphism is reduced only to the indicated difference in size and thinner horns in females. By the way, this allows you to accurately distinguish gaurs from bantengs, in which males are similarly colored, and females, on the contrary, are bright red.
Old male on vacation.
Once the range of Gaurs covered the vast expanses of South and Southeast Asia: from the Hindustan Peninsula to the Indochina Peninsula, Malaysia, China, Nepal and Bhutan. Today, gaurs are still found in these territories, but their populations are very few and scattered, and in Sri Lanka this species has been completely destroyed. These bulls inhabit moist evergreen forests, and they prefer hilly areas with sparse stands and avoid impenetrable thickets. In the mountains, gaurs rise to a height of 2000-2800 m, but at the same time they regularly visit the valleys.
Female with young.
In search of such food, they can visit pastures, but they never grass crops in the fields.
The diet of gaurs includes all kinds of herbs, bamboo shoots and branches of shrubs.
Like a homemade big cattle these animals need a lot of minerals and water.
They satisfy the need for minerals by licking mud, but, unlike Indian buffaloes, they do not like to wallow in puddles all day long.
The character of the gauras matches their appearance. As befits strong men who are aware of their power, these animals radiate invincible calmness, equanimity and ... caution. The last quality is explained, of course, not by cowardice, but simply by the unwillingness to enter into conflicts that are not worthy of their attention.
In case of danger, gaurs simply move away with a quick step, and they move in the thick of the forest extremely quietly.
These animals show the same friendliness towards each other. Their herds consist of 8-11 females with calves, males are kept alone. The old female matriarch controls the herd, males join the herd only during mating. Separate herds adhere to a certain area, but can sometimes unite in groups of up to 50 individuals. It is noteworthy that in pastures, these bulls can create mixed herds even with sambars (Indian deer).
Gauras breed all year round, but most often mating occurs between November and April. Males roar loudly during the rut, but fights between them are rare. As a rule, applicants limit themselves to demonstrating serious intentions, lowering their heads low and directing one horn towards the opponent. Pregnancy lasts 270-280 days, usually one calf is born, twins very rarely occur. At the time of childbirth, the female retires into the thick of bushes and returns to the herd already with the baby. She feeds the calf with milk for up to 7-12 months (up to 9 on average). Young become sexually mature at 2-3 years, and the maximum life expectancy for gaurs reaches 30 years.
A gaura bull in a characteristic menacing pose.
These giants have few enemies. The scariest of them all is the human. People, firstly, displace gaurs from their habitats, developing lands, cutting down forests, occupying the best watering places. Secondly, livestock infect gaurs with dangerous infections, and if domestic animals can get help from a veterinarian, then wild bulls die. Young gaurs are sometimes attacked by crocodiles, leopards and tigers. By the way, the tiger is the only predator capable of killing an adult bull. Caution, sensitivity and strength help gauras avoid dangers. In case of danger, they snort loudly, and if the enemy is within sight, adults attack him with a special lateral movement. In this case, the predator has every chance of being impaled on the horn and thrown back. considerable distance which often means death.
Even tigers prefer to bypass the mighty giants, and attack only when they fail to catch smaller prey.
Despite such impressive self-defense, gauras have long been tamed. Their domesticated form - gayal - is not very common compared to buffaloes. Guyals are distinguished by their smaller stature, more massive physique, and short horns. From their wild ancestors, they inherited calmness and are very much appreciated for this complaisance. They are used as draft power and a source of meat. But the fate of wild gaurs does not yet inspire optimism. The widespread undermining of the food supply, the destruction of suitable habitats lead to an inexorable reduction in numbers throughout the range. That is why gaurs were listed in the International Red Book, and you can see these beauties only in some reserves and the largest zoos.
