key term - Ruminants

Definition

Ruminants are a group of mammals that digest plant-based food through a specialized stomach with four compartments: rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. This allows them to efficiently break down cellulose and extract nutrients from fibrous plant material.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Ruminants include animals like cows, sheep, goats, and deer.
2. The rumen is the largest compartment where microbial fermentation breaks down fibrous plant material.
3. Ruminants regurgitate partially digested food known as cud to chew it again for further breakdown.
4. Microorganisms in the rumen play a crucial role in breaking down cellulose into volatile fatty acids which are then absorbed as the primary energy source.
5. The abomasum functions similarly to a monogastric stomach by using enzymes and acids for digestion.

Review Questions

Related terms

Monogastric: Animals with a single-chambered stomach like humans and pigs.

Cellulose:

A complex carbohydrate that forms the primary structural component of plant cell walls.

Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs): Short-chain fatty acids produced during fermentation in the rumen used as an energy source by ruminants.