Ruminants

Question 1

Description of Ruminants.

Answer 1

Ruminants are hoofed mammals that digest their food in two steps: first by eating the raw material and regurgitating a semi-digested form known as cud, then eating the cud. They have a specialized stomach with four compartments: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.

Question 2

Examples of Ruminants

Answer 2

Cow, Sheep, Goat, Deer

Question 3

These are fermentation chambers housing symbiotic microorganisms that break down fibrous plant materials, like cellulose, producing volatile fatty acids (VFA) that serve as energy source for the animal.

Answer 3

Rumen and Reticulum

Question 4

Further breaks down food particles and absorbs some water and minerals.

Answer 4

Omasum

Question 5

The ‘true stomach’ where food is finally digested using the animal’s own digestive enzymes, similar to the monogastric stomach.

Answer 5

Abomasum