Digestive Physiology and Metabolism in Ruminants, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1980
Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology, held at Clermont — Ferrand, on 3rd-7th September, 1979

Two questions could not be avoided in the avant-propos of this book; (i) what is the importance to man of ruminant livestock, and (ii) what results of practical relevance in the growing mountain of scientific verbiage could be found in the Proceedings of this Symposium. Herbivores are an integral and critical part of the natural ecosystem which must be preserved because of their impact on human welfare. Wh at makes ruminants especially important to man is that they can thrive on fibrous forage and are thus the only viable enterprise over much of the earth's surface where crop growing is impracti­ cable. They contribute a wide array of products in addition to 50000 000 tonnes ofmeat (1977) and represent a 'capital reserve' that can be drawn upon in times of emergency: milk for example (450000000 tonnes) can make the difference between subsistence and starvation. About 60% of the world's meat and 80 % of the milk are produced by one third of the world ruminant population in the developed regions and as much as 99 % of the power for agriculture is provided by the ruminant population in developing countries. For the next two decades, a probable increase by 30 % for . cattle and buffalo and more than 40 % for sheep and goats is expected by improving health, fertility, nutrition and genetic potential rather than feed resources.

1 Historical profile of early digestive studies.- 1 Historical profile of early digestive studies.- Section I Gastrointestinal Motility.- 2 The mixing and propulsion of the stomach contents of ruminants.- 3 Rhythms of abomaso-intestinal motility.- 4 The mechanisms controlling abomasal emptying and secretion.- Section II Behavioural Physiology and Nutrition.- 5 Ingestive behaviour and related activities in ruminants.- 6 Learning and associated factors in ruminant feeding behavior.- 7 Hormones and metabolites in the control of food intake.- 8 Central control of water and salt intake in goats and sheep.- Section III Microbial Ecosystem in the Rumen.- 9 Microbial ecology of the rumen.- 10 Factors affecting microbial growth yields in the reticulo-rumen.- 11 Adherent rumen bacteria - their role in the digestion of plant material, urea and epithelial cells.- 12 Mathematical modelling in analyses of ruminant digestive function:philosophy, methodology and application.- Section IV Ruminant Digestion and its Manipulation.- 13 Digestion and end-product formation in the rumen from production rations.- 14 The effect of conservation and processing on the digestion of forages by ruminants.- 15 Possible nutritional constraints in meeting energy and amino acid requirements of the highly productive ruminant.- 16 Chemical control of rumen microbial metabolism.- 17 The pathophysiological effects of gastrointestinal and liver parasites in sheep.- Section V Mineral Metabolism.- 18 Influence of minerals in rumen microbial digestion.- 19 Dietary composition and the absorption of trace elements by ruminants.- 20 Calcium and phosphate homeostasis in ruminants and its relationship to the aetiology and prevention of parturient paresis.- 21 Magnesium metabolism and hypomagnesaemia.- Section VI Intermediary Metabolism.- 22 Energy costs of digestion and metabolism in the gut.- 23 Propionate metabolism and vitamin B12.- 24 Amino acid metabolism and hormonal control during growth.- 25 Lactic acid metabolism.- 26 Mobilization, turnover and disposition of adipose tissue lipids.- Section VII Digestive Adaptation.- 27 Digestive adaptation in the preruminant.- 28 Adaptation to changes in dietary composition, level and frequency of feeding.- 29 Adaptation to diets containing significant amounts of non-protein nitrogen.- 30 Utilization of tropical feeds by ruminants.- 31 Processing of animal waste by feeding to ruminants.- Section VIII Comparative Digestive Physiology.- 32 Evolution of microbial digestion in mammals.- 33 Microbial digestion: rumen versus large intestine.- 34 Coprophagy and related strategies for digesta utilization.- 35 The role of the ruminant’s digestive tract as a water reservoir.- 36 The digestive physiology of wild ruminants.- 37 The place of herbivores in the agricultural ecosystems.- Workshops.