With the research, scientists analyzed the species of bacteria present in healthy and ulcerated cattle stomachs. To their surprise the research group found few differences in microbial diversity. This led to the conclusion that bacteria are not involved in the development of ulcers in any substantial way.
In people stomach ulcers invariably relate to, or are at least associated in some way with, one bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. There are other causes of ulcers; including such factors as stress or poor diet. Cattle are also prone to ulcers and researchers were keen to establish if, like people, the primary cause was microbial or whether other triggers were more likely.
To examine whether there was a bacterial relationship in the case of cattle, a research group studied the fourth of a cow’s series of four stomachs called the abomasum. Whether a cow really has four stomachs is debatable. Cows technically only have one stomach, but it has four distinct compartments. In this sense the abomasum is the “actual” stomach since the other three cambers — rumen, the reticulum and the omasum — serve to predigest food. It is in the abomasum which is prone to ulcers.
Rumen – This is the first part of the cow’s stomach. It helps break down complex plant products like grass.
Reticulum – Here the food mixes with the cow’s saliva and produces cud. Cows burp up the cud into their mouths and chew it to help break it down more. When you see a cow that looks like she is chomping on bubble gum, really she is chewing her cud.
Omasum – Here all the water is absorbed out of the food.
Abomasum – Here is where the food is finally digested, similar to what happens in a human stomach.
With the study, stomachs of ulcerated and ulcer-free cows were examined for bacteria using molecular methods. After examining a range of cow stomachs, the research indicated the microbial communities of healthy and ulcerated stomachs are nearly identical. This indicated bacteria do not play a role in the cause of ulcers in cattle. Notably, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori was not present at all.
With the removal of bacteria as a key cause, researchers are now looking into other factors like weather and husbandry to see if these, in some way, account for stomach problems.
The research was carried out at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. The findings have been published in the journal Veterinary Microbiology, with the research article called “Characterization of mucosa-associated bacterial communities in abomasal ulcers by pyrosequencing.”
