Saliva secretion and its relation to feeding in cattle

Abstract

Bailey & Balch (1961b) described the secretory characteristics of the right parotid gland of a small steer. Parotid saliva is one of several salivary secretions produced by ruminants (Dukes, 19 j j) and the saliva entering the rumen at any given time is a mixture of the individual fluids. Although little is known of the relative amounts of the different fluids secreted under different conditions, information on the activities of some of the glands is available. Both the parotid and the sublingual glands secrete continuously but, whereas parotid saliva predominates in the mixed fluid (McDougall, 1948; HydCn, 1958), the amounts of sublingual saliva are relatively very small (Colin, 1886). The submaxillary glands are quiescent except during eating, when they may secrete almost as much fluid as the parotid glands (Ellenberger & Hofmeister, 1887). I n the opinion of Scheunert, Krzywanek & Zimmermann (1929-30), mixed saliva may also contain considerable quantities of the secretions of the ventral buccal glands.