Question

Ruminants such as cows and buffaloes swallow their food hurriedly and then sit restfully and chew their food. Can you reason why?

Answer 1

• Ruminants such as cows and buffaloes eat grass which contains cellulose. However, the ruminants are unable to digest these cellulose. So, first they swallow as much grass as they need.
• The grass then passes through the oesophagus and enters the rumen. Bacteria in the rumen then produce cellulase which digests the grass partially. And this partially digested food is called cud.
• This cud is regurgitated back to the animal’s mouth for chewing. Then it is sent to the third and fourth chambers for its complete digestion.