Ruminant digestion.
The stomach of a ruminant has four chambers.
- The grass enters the
rumen and the reticulum,
where symbiotic microorganisms digest the cellulose.
- The cow periodically regurgitates and rechews the cud,
to further break down the fibersn.
- The cow reswallows the cud, which moves to the
omasum,
where water is removed.
- The cud finally passes to the abomasum
for digestion of the microorganisms by the cow's own enzymes.