The oral cavity contains the dental pad, the tongue, and the salivary glands. These structures begin both mechanical and chemical digestion.  

Cows do not have upper incisors thus, they use this bony process to grasp grass to chew and swallow. This is unique to ruminants.

There are many salivary glands:

• Parotid- serous gland that opens in the cheek

• Sublingual-mixed gland made up of various ducts that are located ventrolateral to the tongue

• Mandibular- mixed gland that opens ventral to the tongue within the floor of the mouth

• Labial

• Buccal

• Lingual

• Palatine

The tongue has both intrinsic muscles and extrinsic. The intrinsic muscles run in three directions. The tongue is split into 3 regions. The apex is the most rostral, the body is in the middle of the tongue and the root connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. The tongue contains various papillae, some of which contain taste buds.