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Subjects · Leaving Cert Agricultural Science

Leaving Cert Agricultural Science: Ruminant & monogastric digestion

How often Ruminant & monogastric digestion comes up on the Agricultural Science papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 4 of the last 5 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

OL Asked on 4 of the last 5 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Ruminant & monogastric digestion, Higher Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Ruminant & monogastric digestion.

(a)Which stomach compartment is largest in a newborn calf?
  1. Rumen
  2. Abomasum
  3. Omasum
(b)What is the main role of rumen microbes?
  1. Produce hydrochloric acid to digest protein
  2. Absorb water from the grass only
  3. Digest cellulose into volatile fatty acids
(c)Why can a pig not make good use of grass?
  1. It is a monogastric with no rumen
  2. It cannot make digestive enzymes
  3. It has four stomach chambers
Show the answers

(a) Abomasum

(b) Digest cellulose into volatile fatty acids

(c) It is a monogastric with no rumen

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Ruminant & monogastric digestion.

Higher Level

Asked on 4 of the last 5 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Q16
2023Q10a
2022Q9a, Q9b
2021Q11b

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Ruminant & monogastric digestion questions

Ruminant & monogastric digestion, 2 marks

What is the function of the gizzard in poultry?

  1. Storing eggs before laying
  2. Absorbing water
  3. Grinding food with grit
Show the answer

Grinding food with grit

Birds have no teeth. The muscular gizzard grinds food, helped by swallowed grit, before it moves on for digestion.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 4 of the last 5 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Q5
2023Q9a, Q9b
2022Q4b
2021Q2

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Ruminant & monogastric digestion questions

Ruminant & monogastric digestion, 2 marks

Which is the largest chamber of an adult cow's stomach?

  1. Abomasum
  2. Omasum
  3. Rumen
Show the answer

Rumen

The rumen holds microbes that ferment grass fibre. The four chambers are rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum (the true stomach).

Ruminant & monogastric digestion, 3 marks

Which stomach chamber is the largest in a newborn calf?

  1. Reticulum
  2. Abomasum
  3. Rumen
Show the answer

Abomasum

Milk bypasses the rumen through the oesophageal groove into the abomasum. The rumen only grows once the calf eats roughage and meal.

Ruminant & monogastric digestion, 2 marks

A pig is called a monogastric animal because it has?

  1. One simple stomach
  2. Four stomach chambers
  3. No stomach at all
Show the answer

One simple stomach

Pigs and poultry have a single stomach and cannot digest much fibre. They need rations based on cereals and protein rather than grass.

Other Agricultural Science topics

All of Leaving Cert Agricultural Science