Rumination is a special form of digestion, commonly known as chewing food backwards, primarily found in certain herbivores, especially even-toed ungulates. These animals typically have four stomachs, allowing for better digestion. Common ruminants include buffalo, cattle, dairy cows, goats, sheep, as well as camels and alpacas, and also sika deer and roe deer. Below, we list 10 common ruminants; see if you can guess them all.
1. Water buffalo
What are some examples of ruminants? Water buffalo are the most common ruminants. Belonging to the Bovidae family of the class Mammalia, water buffalo are found in many countries, but in my country they are mainly distributed in the southern regions. They are primarily used for plowing paddy fields and were traditionally a tool for rural households. Water buffalo mainly eat plants and prefer to live in water or mud because their sweat glands are extremely underdeveloped. Especially in the summer when temperatures are high, being in water effectively helps them cool down.
2. Yellow cattle
Like water buffalo, the yellow cattle are one of the ten most common ruminants, belonging to the Bovidae family of the class Mammalia. Yellow cattle are named for their predominantly yellow coat. They are mainly distributed in northern my country and were traditionally used for plowing dry fields, serving as a vital tool for rural households. Now, many people raise yellow cattle specifically for this purpose, with breeding areas almost throughout the country. This is because yellow cattle meat is not only nutritious but also has a better taste and is chewier than water buffalo meat, making it very popular with consumers.
3. Dairy cows
Dairy cows are familiar to everyone, primarily used for milk production. The image of black and white cows leisurely grazing on lush green pastures is almost a standard feature in dairy product advertisements. In my country, dairy cows are mainly black and white, a breed developed through high-generation crossbreeding of purebred Dutch cattle and local cows, and has a history of over a hundred years. Dairy cows belong to the Bovidae family, are herbivores, and are common ruminants.
4. Goats
What are ruminants? Ruminants are animals that ruminate, and they are usually herbivores because plant fiber is relatively difficult to digest. Goats are one of the most common ruminants, belonging to the Bovidae family. Goats were among the first domesticated animals by humans, and they have a very wide geographical distribution, found all over the world. Wherever livestock are raised, goats can be found. They are highly viable and reproduce easily, making them one of the most geographically widespread domestic animals.
5. Sheep
Sheep belong to the order Artiodactyla, suborder Ruminantia, family Bovidae, subfamily Caprinae. They are common domesticated animals, raised worldwide, and represent a traditional livestock farming project with significant value and economic benefits. In my country, the largest sheep-raising areas are Inner Mongolia and Qinghai, primarily for providing meat and fur products. Sheep mainly include fine-wool sheep, semi-fine-wool sheep, and coarse-wool sheep. They are docile, timid, easily domesticated, and all are herbivores.
6. Camel
Which animals, like cows, have ruminant abilities? Camels are one of them. Cows are ruminants with four stomachs: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and proventriculus. Camels are also ruminants, with a three-chambered stomach (lacking an omasum). They eat coarse grass and shrubs and can ruminate. Camels belong to the camel family and are known as the "ships of the desert." They have relatively small heads and long, thick necks. Camels can move freely in hot, arid desert regions, making them indispensable partners for people in desert and Gobi areas, as well as for geological exploration and archaeology workers.
7. Sika deer
The sika deer belongs to the deer family and is a medium-sized deer. Its coat is chestnut red with many white spots resembling plum blossoms in summer; in winter, it is smoky brown with less prominent white spots. Sika deer inhabit forest edges and mountain grasslands, feeding mainly on grasses, fruits, herbs, tree buds, trees, and crops. They are a type of even-toed ungulate ruminant. The sika deer is valuable in its entirety, but due to overhunting, its wild population is extremely small, and it is listed as an endangered species. However, artificial breeding of sika deer has been established in my country, mainly distributed in Liaoning and Jilin provinces in Northeast China.
8. Giraffe
Giraffes belong to the order Artiodactyla, family Giraffeidae, and are ruminant artiodactyls that live in Africa. They are also the tallest land animals in the world. Giraffes have spotted and reticulated fur, large but somewhat protruding eyes, and very sensitive senses of smell and hearing. They are extremely fast runners and are herbivores, primarily feeding on leaves and twigs. They are common ruminants in zoos.
9. Alpaca
Alpacas are even-toed ungulates belonging to the camel family. They resemble sheep in appearance and generally inhabit high-altitude plateaus around 4000 meters above sea level. They are ruminants that feed on alpine thorny plants. Alpacas are docile, intelligent, and seem to understand humans, making them suitable for domestication and popular as pets. Due to their sheep-like appearance and adorable, somewhat goofy expressions, alpacas quickly became internet sensations, becoming icons of the "cutest" category. They were even ranked seventh on CNN's list of the world's cutest species.
10. Roe deer
Roe deer, belonging to the Cervidae family of the order Artiodactyla, are small to medium-sized deer and common wild ruminants in Northeast my country, hence their other name, Northeast roe deer, and colloquially, "silly roe deer." As a herbivorous ruminant, roe deer are docile, agile, and curious, with an endearingly silly charm. They possess long, slender necks, large eyes, and large ears. Lacking tusks, they resemble sika deer somewhat. Their most distinctive feature is the white fur under their tail, which typically curls up when startled, resembling a white rump.
The list of the top ten most common ruminants is primarily based on their digestive methods, lifestyle habits, popularity, online attention, and relevance to the list's theme, while also referencing relevant internet rankings. This list is for reference only; please feel free to comment/discuss at the end if you have any questions.
