ruminanttieläimet

Ruminanttieläimet, commonly known as ruminants, are a diverse group of herbivorous mammals characterized by their specialized digestive system. This system allows them to efficiently break down tough plant materials, such as cellulose, which are otherwise indigestible. The defining feature of ruminants is their four-compartment stomach, consisting of the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum.

The digestive process begins in the rumen, the largest compartment, where ingested food is mixed with microbes. These microbes, including bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, ferment the plant matter, breaking it down into volatile fatty acids, the primary energy source for the animal. The partially digested food then moves to the reticulum, which has a honeycomb-like structure that helps trap larger particles and forms them into a cud. This cud is then regurgitated and rechewed, a process known as rumination or chewing the cud. This rechewing further breaks down the plant material and mixes it with saliva, aiding microbial digestion.

After rumination, the food passes to the omasum, where water and some volatile fatty acids are absorbed. Finally, it enters the abomasum, the "true stomach," which functions similarly to the stomach of non-ruminant animals, secreting digestive enzymes to break down the remaining food. This complex digestive strategy enables ruminants to thrive on a diet of grass, leaves, and other fibrous vegetation. Examples of ruminanttieläimet include cattle, sheep, goats, deer, giraffes, and antelopes.