How Many Stomachs Does A Cow Have? - United Dairy Industry of ...

How Many Stomachs Does A Cow Have?
Many people who’ve never been near a dairy farm have heard that cows have four stomachs. One of the most common questions dairy farmers are asked is “How many stomachs does a cow have?”
So, do cows really have four stomachs?
YES AND NO
Cows technically only have one stomach, but it has four distinct compartments made up of Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum and Abomasum. It is very different than a human stomach. That’s why people often say that cows have four stomachs.
Parts of a cow’s stomach:
Rumen – This is the first part of the cow’s stomach. It helps break down complex plant products like grass.
Reticulum – Here the food mixes with the cow’s saliva and produces cud. Cows burp up the cud into their mouths and chew it to help break it down more. When you see a cow that looks like she is chomping on bubble gum, really she is chewing her cud.
Omasum – Here all the water is absorbed out of the food.
Abomasum – Here is where the food is finally digested, similar to what happens in a human stomach.
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Hello,
This was very interesting and helpful. To be perfectly honest I looked up this question because I was watching a game show a the this was an answer, I knew it wasn’t one but I thought it was three. It was interesting to find out why the cows have four different compartments. Thank you for this information blog 😀