Question

Describe the process of Digestion in Ruminants.

Answer 1

Ruminants:

1. All herbivores (plant-eating mammals) are called ruminants.
2. They rechew the cud to break down plant matter and stimulate digestion.
3. The stomach is divided into four chambers- rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.

Process of digestion in ruminants:

1. Ruminants quickly swallow the food and store it in the rumen.
2. Once the rumen is filled, food is passed into the second chamber (reticulum).
3. In the reticulum, digestive juices partially digest the food.
4. Partially digested food is called cud.
5. Now when mammals are resting, bring the cud back into the mouth for rechewing.
6. After cud is chewed food is passed to the omasum and the abomasum.
7. Symbiotic bacteria in the caecum brought complete digestion of cellulose.