What does it mean when a cow 'chews its cud'?

Question

What does it mean when a cow 'chews its cud'?

Answer 1

a cow as you may already know has many stomachs. when it takes up grass its first stomach is often full so the cow must continuouslly chew the grass until there is space. this chewing of grass is known as chewing the cud

Answer 2

A cow has 3 stomachs. When she eats and swallows grass, hay etc it goes into the first one where enzymes start to break it down. Then after she feels full she will sit and regurgitate or "Burps up" bits of it at a time and chew it again. This is now called "The Cud". Her saliva works with the enzymes to keep breaking down the grass. After that it passes into the 2nd stomach where more enzymes are working to keep breaking it down and remove the nutrition or goodness she needs. Then she regurgitates again and chews it again. This time she swallows it into the last stomach where it gets completely broken down and the goodness absorbed into her body.

Cows are one of the most efficient animals in getting the most benefit out of their food as the constant chewing of the cud and the 3 stomachs get as much nutrition for the body as possible.

Answer 3

It throws up into it's mouth and re-eats it, strange but true.

Answer 4

Cows eat grass, swallow it, then bring it back up and chew it again. This, basically, is chewing its cud. Cows are not the only animal to do this.

Answer 5

Cows have two stomaches when they chew grass if one stomach is full they regurgitate the grass and chew it so it goes into the second stomach this is called chewing the cud