there is wrong misconception that cows have 4 stomachs. that is not true. the reality is cows have only one stomach but this one stomach is devided into 4 compartments or sections each one of them performs different function that complent the other. these four sections are
1- The rumen this is the largest part of the cow stomach and it also the first part to recieve food from the cow oesophegus and it is responsible for fermentation as it contains millions upon millions of microorganisms like fungi and bacteria that enables cow stomach to digest materials that human stomach can not digest like grass
2- The reticulum this is the second part of cow stomach. the food pass to it from the rumen and it acts as filter as it recognise the large food particles and contracts to return it back to the rumen for more fermentation. as for medium and small sized particles it allows it to pass to the omasum
3- The omasum this is the third part and is responsible for the absorbion of water
4- The abomasum this is fourth and final part and many consider it the real stomach as it bears great resemblence to the human stomach in terms of function as is resoponsible for the digestion of food into useful nutrients that is absorbed and passed into blood.
