The Intestine

The intestine of the ox lies almost entirely to the right of the median plane, chiefly in contact with the right face of the rumen. It is attached to the sublumbar region by a common mesentery.

The small intestine has an average length of about 130 feet (ca. 40 m.) and a diameter of about two inches (ca. 5 to 6 cm.).

The duodenum is about three or four feet (ca. 1 m.) in length. It passes forward to the visceral surface of the liver; here it forms, ventral to the right kidney, an S-shaped curve. Thence it runs backward almost to the external angle of the ilium, where it turns on itself, passes forward alongside of the terminal part of the colon, and joins the mesenteric part (jejunum) under the right kidney. It is attached to the liver by the lesser omentum, to the abomasum by the great omentum, and to the terminal part of the colon. The bile-duct opens in the ventral part of the S-shaped curve, about two feet (ca. 60 cm.) from the pylorus. The pancreatic duct opens about a foot (ca. 30 cm.) further back.

The remainder of the small intestine is arranged in numerous very close coils, in contact chiefly with the right face of the ventral sac of the rumen, forming a sort of festoon at the edge of the mesentery. It is not subject to much variation in position, but a few coils may find their way behind the blind sacs of the rumen to the left side.

The orifices of the pancreatic duct and the bile-duct are on papillæ, no diverticulum being present. There are permanent transverse folds of the mucous membrane (Plicæ circulares). Duodenal glands (of Brunner) occur in the first fifteen feet or more (4 to 5 m.), intestinal glands throughout. Peyer’s patches are larger and more distinct than in the horse, and vary greatly in size and number; in adult cattle there are eighteen to forty; in calves, twenty to fifty-eight. They usually have the form of narrow bands. Close to the ileo-cæcal valve there is always a patch, and in most cases there is also a patch on the cæcal side of the valve.

The large intestine is much smaller in caliber than that of the horse, has no bands, and is not sacculated. Most of it is situated between the layers of the common mesentery.

The cæcum is about 20 to 30 inches (ca. 50 to 60 cm.) long, 4 to 5 inches (ca. 10 to 12 cm.) wide, and has a capacity of about 2½ gallons (ca. 9 to 10 liters). It begins opposite the lower part of the eleventh rib, and extends upward and backward against the right flank; its rounded blind end is free, and lies near or in the pelvic inlet.

The colon is about 35 feet (ca. 10 m.) long; its diameter is at first about the same as that of the cæcum, but diminishes to about two inches (ca. 5 cm.). Its capacity is about 6 to 8 gallons (ca. 25 to 30 liters). With the exception of its first and terminal parts, it is arranged in double elliptical coils between the layers of the mesentery; the adjacent parts are therefore alternately centripetal and centrifugal (Gyri centripetales et centrifugales). The first part (Ansa proximalis) is marked off from the cæcum only by the ileo-cæcal opening; it forms an S-shaped curve and is continued by the spiral part (Ansa spiralis). The coils of this are attached to each other by connective tissue, and are best seen from the inner side. The bowel gradually diminishes in caliber, and the terminal part (Ansa distalis) leaves the spiral mass, passes forward to the great mesenteric artery and turns backward between the duodenum and the initial sigmoid part. From the ventral surface of the right kidney it passes backward, forms an S-shaped curve near the pelvic inlet, and joins the rectum; this part is attached to the sublumbar muscles by a short mesentery, and is also attached to the dorsal part of the duodenum.

The rectum is somewhat shorter than that of the horse, and is usually covered with peritoneum as far back as the first coccygeal vertebra. The retroperitoneal part is surrounded by a quantity of fat. The anus is not prominent.

The serous coat is of course absent on the adherent surfaces of the spiral part of the colon. There is a large amount of fat in the mesentery. The longitudinal muscular coat is evenly distributed, consequently there is no sacculation of the bowel. There is a valvular mucous fold at the ileo-cæcal orifice. A Peyer’s patch occurs in the beginning of the cæcum and one in the first part of the colon.