Sheep Eats

Sheep are ruminants–– even-toed animals with four stomachs. Why four? As you might guess, the leaves, stems, grasses and weeds that sheep chow-down on are extremely difficult to digest. When a sheep eats, the food goes into the first stomach, called the rumen where it is stored. From there, it moves gradually into the reticulum where it is broken down by bacteria and acid to form cud—the stuff you see cattle, deer and sheep endlessly chewing.

Muscles in the reticulum push the cud into the sheep’s mouth for a good second chewing to help break down the stems and leaves even further. Once the sheep swallows the cud it enters the omasum for a little more digestion before making its last stomach-stop—the abomasums--where it is mixed with acids before finally entering the intestine.