what is ruminant

Ruminants are a group of hoofed herbivorous mammals that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally through microbial actions. They have a unique digestive system that allows them to better use energy from fibrous plant material than other herbivores. The process of fermentation takes place in the front part of the digestive system and is called foregut fermentation, which typically requires the fermented ingesta (known as cud) to be regurgitated and chewed again. The process of rechewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate digestion is called rumination. The word "ruminant" comes from the Latin ruminare, which means "to chew over again". Ruminants include cattle, sheep, goats, deer, giraffes, camels, and more. They have a four-chambered stomach and two-toed feet, except for camels and chevrotains, which have a three-chambered stomach and are often referred to as pseudoruminants.