Ingesta, Digesta, Bolus: Near Synonyms in Horse Nutrition

The nomenclature involved in equine nutrition and digestive physiology can be daunting to even the most fearless logophile (that’s a fifty-cent word for word-lover). Here are three words, all with a similar meaning, that sometimes crop up in discussions about gastrointestinal function.

• ingesta: substances taken into the body as nourishment; feed or water
• digesta: something undergoing digestion, as feed or forage in the stomach or small intestine
• bolus: a soft mass of chewed food