Ruminants are
mammals that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by
fermenting it in a specialized
stomach prior to digestion, principally through microbial actions. The process typically requires the fermented ingesta (known as
cud) to be regurgitated and chewed again. The process of rechewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate digestion is called
rumination. The word "ruminant" comes from the Latin
ruminare, which means "to chew over again".