Page 32 - Cows

Cows Final INT_.qxd 9/16/08 6:14 PM Page 31

is formed into a ball called a bolus. The bolus is

mixed with saliva and swallowed. It stays in the first

stomach compartment, the rumen, until the cow feels
full. In the rumen, stomach juices soften the partially

chewed food.

Next, food travels to the reticulum. There it is soft-
ened further and formed into small balls called cud.

During the feeding process, cows periodically regurgi-
tate their cud, chew it again for about a minute, and

then swallow it.

A cow spends a good
part of its day chewing
its food.

31

MCC-Animals Animals 10 - Cows_26425
PL908-36/4270