Which species are considered ruminants?

• A. Pigs
• B. Chickens
• C. Cattle
• D. Dogs

Answer: (C)

Ruminants rely on microbial fermentation of fibrous plant material in a specialized, four-chambered stomach and typically chew cud. This setup—rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum—lets microbes break down cellulose before digestion.

Cattle fit this pattern: they chew cud and have the four compartments, enabling efficient breakdown of forage. Pigs, chickens, and dogs do not share this system; they have simpler, single-chamber stomachs and do not rely on fore-stomach fermentation. So cattle are the ruminants.