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How do cows turn grass into milk?

AnimalsMammals

Quick Answer

Cows digest plant material in a multi-chambered stomach, then use nutrients from that food to make milk in the mammary glands.

The Full Story

Cows are ruminants, meaning they chew food, swallow it, then regurgitate and chew it again as cud. Microbes in the rumen ferment grass and other plant material, allowing cows to extract nutrients from cellulose that humans cannot digest. Those nutrients, especially fats, proteins and sugars, are then used by the body to produce milk. Lactation is controlled by hormones, and milk production begins after a cow gives birth.

Key Facts

1.Cows have a four-chambered stomach
2.Microbes in the rumen break down cellulose
3.Milk production is triggered by hormones after birth

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