Have you ever wondered if a horse was a ruminant animal or not? Many animals we are familiar with fit into the ruminant animal category including deer, cows, sheep and goats.
Are horses ruminants? No! Horses are not ruminant animals. Ruminant animals have four compartments within their stomach that digest their food in stages.
When a ruminant animal eats some grass or other forage, they do not entirely chew up the food. Instead, they chew it a little and then swallow it.
What is does being a Ruminant Animal Mean?
A horse has a stomach that contains only one compartment. They have a non-ruminant digestive system, but it is more complex than that of other non-ruminant animals.
What Kind of Digestive system do Horses Have?
Horses do not have ruminant digestive systems, but they are able to process some of the same substrates that ruminant animals can.
How is Equine Digestion Like That of Ruminants?