Which of the following is an example of a ruminant animal?

Ruminant animals are characterized by their unique digestive systems, which allow them to ferment and break down cellulose from plant materials effectively. This process involves a specialized stomach with four compartments: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. These compartments enable ruminants to digest fibrous plant matter through microbial fermentation.

Cattle are prime examples of ruminants because they possess this specialized stomach structure, allowing them to efficiently process grass and other fibrous feeds. Additionally, their behavior of rumination, where they regurgitate and re-chew their food, further supports their classification as ruminants.

Sheep are also ruminants and share similar digestive traits, but since the question asks for an example, cattle are often more universally recognized. The other choices, such as pigs (which are monogastric and do not have a multi-chambered stomach) and chickens (which have a beak and gizzard for grinding food rather than a rumen), do not exhibit the characteristics that define ruminants. Thus, cattle represent a quintessential example of ruminant animals.