Ruminant

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Ruminant

Ruminant (/ˈruːmɪnənt/; from Latin: ruminare, "to chew over again") is a term used to describe any mammal that digests plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, through a process typically associated with the act of regurgitation and re-chewing. The process is known as rumination.

Etymology

The term "ruminant" comes from the Latin word ruminare, which means "to chew over again". This is a reference to the unique digestive process these animals undergo, where food is regurgitated and re-chewed before final digestion.

Anatomy

Ruminants have a unique digestive system that includes a four-chambered stomach. The four chambers are the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum. Each chamber has a specific role in the digestion of plant material.

Classification

Ruminants are classified under the order Artiodactyla in the class Mammalia. This order also includes animals like camels and pigs, but ruminants form a distinct suborder, Ruminantia. This suborder includes animals like cattle, goats, sheep, giraffes, deer, and antelopes.

Related Terms

  • Rumen: The first chamber in the stomach of a ruminant where food is collected and returned to the mouth for further chewing.
  • Reticulum: The second chamber in the stomach of a ruminant where food is mixed with saliva and separated into liquid form and solid clumps.
  • Omasum: The third chamber in the stomach of a ruminant where water and minerals are absorbed from the food.
  • Abomasum: The fourth chamber in the stomach of a ruminant, equivalent to a human stomach, where the food is finally digested by gastric juices.
  • Rumination: The process of regurgitating food from the rumen back to the mouth for further chewing.

External links

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