WHAT IS A RUMINANT?

Goats are ruminants, as are sheep, cows and deer. Ruminates have four compartments in their stomachs. When sheep eat, the food lands in the first compartment called the rumen. The rumen and the reticulum are fermentation vats where complex carbohydrates are broken down through microbial actions.

The fermented food, which we refer to as “cud,” is regurgitated back into the goat’s mouth where it’s broken down further by chewing and saliva. After that, the omasum (third compartment) receives the now-chewed cud and absorbs the volatile fatty acids and ammonia. From there, it goes to the abomasum, which is the true stomach.