what is a ruminant

A ruminant is a type of mammal that belongs to the suborder Ruminantia, which is part of the order Artiodactyla. Ruminants have a unique digestive system that allows them to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally through microbial actions. This process, known as foregut fermentation, typically requires the fermented ingesta (known as cud) to be regurgitated and chewed again, a process called rumination. Ruminants include a variety of animals such as cattle, sheep, deer, goats, giraffes, and camels. They are characterized by having a complex three- or four-chambered stomach, with the rumen being the largest compartment. Ruminants are able to use energy from fibrous plant material more efficiently than other herbivores due to their unique digestive system, making them valuable for converting renewable resources into products for human use, such as meat and milk