What is a rumen?

Submitted by cochran.442 on
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what-is-a-rumen
Answer
illustration of a cow with four-part stomach highlighted
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A rumen is a natural, specialized modification of the stomach that helps ruminants—animals such as sheep, goats, or cattle—digest feed that is not easily broken down by typical mammal stomach enzymes. The rumen is a large fermentation chamber where microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa grow and break down cellulose and other vegetable fibers to generate energy for grazing animals.  

Question Image
A cow stomach, showing four chambers