What Are Ruminant Animals?
Ruminants are animals or mammals that regurgitate the food from the stomach and chew it again. Ruminants are mostly herbivorous. The animals have a multi-chamber stomach structure which facilitates four main processes, that is, regurgitation, remastication, resalivation and re-swallowing.
Examples of ruminant include:
- Cattle
- Sheep
- Goats
- Buffalo
- Deer
- Elk
- Giraffes
- Camel
What You Need To Know About Ruminant Animals
- Ruminant animals have a multi-chamber stomach structure which facilitates four main processes, that is, regurgitation, remastication, resalivation and re-swallowing.
- Ruminants are mostly herbivorous.
- Ruminants have a complex stomach with stomach compartments namely Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum and abomasums.
- Reverse peristalsis is common in ruminants.
- Ruminants have a long digestive system.
- Ruminant animals do not produce enzymes for protein digestion.
- Ruminant animals produce more saliva with no carbohydrate digestive enzymes.
- Ruminant animals have a large liver when compared to non-ruminants animals.
- Ruminant animals digest all plant carbohydrates including cellulose.
- Ruminants have two blunt canines.
- The premolars and molars of the ruminant animals move in lateral direction.
- Ruminant animals undergo regurgitation.
What Are Non-Ruminant Animals?
Non-ruminants also referred to as monogastric-animals have uncomplicated or a simple stomach structure which facilitates the normal digestion process where the ingested food is digested in a single process. Non-ruminants can be herbivorous, omnivorous or carnivorous.
Examples of non-ruminant include
- Humans
- Primates
- Swine
- Dogs
- Cats
- Fowl
- Rabbit
- Horses
What You Need To Know About Non-Ruminant Animals
- The animals have uncomplicated or a simple stomach structure which facilitates the normal digestion process where the ingested food is digested in a single process.
- Non-ruminants can be herbivorous, omnivorous or carnivorous.
- Non-ruminants have a simple stomach with only one compartment.
- Reverse peristalsis is absent in nonruminants.
- Nonruminants have a short digestive system.
- Nonruminant animals produce enzymes for protein digestion.
- Nonruminant animals produce less saliva with carbohydrate digestive enzymes.
- Nonruminant animals have a relatively small liver compared to that of ruminants.
- Non-ruminants digest carbohydrates except cellulose.
- Non-ruminant animals have four sharp canines.
- Premolars and molars of ruminant animals move in vertical direction.
- Nonruminant animals do not undergo regurgitation.
Also Read: Difference Between Bobcat And Mountain Lion
Difference Between Ruminant And Non-Ruminant Animals In Tabular Form
| BASIS OF COMPARISON | RUMINANT | NON-RUMINANT |
| Description | Ruminants are animals with a multi-chamber stomach structure which facilitates four main processes, that is, regurgitation, remastication, resalivation and re-swallowing. | Non-ruminants also referred to as monogastric-animals have uncomplicated or a simple stomach structure which facilitates the normal digestion process where the ingested food is digested in a single process. |
| Nature | Ruminants are mostly herbivorous. | Non-ruminants can be herbivorous, omnivorous or carnivorous. |
| Stomach Structure | Ruminants have a complex stomach with stomach compartments namely Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum and abomasums. | Non-ruminants have a simple stomach with only one compartment. |
| Reverse Peristalsis | Reverse peristalsis is common in ruminants. | Reverse peristalsis is absent in nonruminants. |
| Digestive System | Ruminants have a long digestive system. | Nonruminants have a short digestive system. |
| Enzymes For Protein Digestion | Ruminant animals do not produce enzymes for protein digestion. | Nonruminant animals produce enzymes for protein digestion. |
| Saliva Production | Ruminant animals produce more saliva with no carbohydrate digestive enzymes. | Nonruminant animals produce less saliva with carbohydrate digestive enzymes. |
| Liver Size | Ruminant animals have a large liver when compared to non-ruminants animals. | Nonruminant animals have a relatively small liver compared to that of ruminants. |
| Digestion Of Cellulose | Ruminant animals digest all plant carbohydrates including cellulose. | Non-ruminants digest carbohydrates except cellulose. |
| Canines | Ruminants have two blunt canines. | Non-ruminant animals have four sharp canines. |
| Molars And Premolars | The premolars and molars of the ruminant animals move in lateral direction. | Premolars and molars of ruminant animals move in vertical direction. |
| Regurgitation | Ruminant animals undergo regurgitation. | Nonruminant animals do not undergo regurgitation. |