Original: Physiologically , a ruminant is a mammal of the order Artiodactyla that digests plant-based food by initially softening it within the animal 's first stomach , then regurgitating the semi-digested mass , now known as cud , and chewing it again .
Simplified: Rumination works by softening it with the animals stomach , then vomiting some of the half-digested food , and then chewing it again .