Cows, by virtue of the plentiful and varied bacteria in their rumen, are able to derive energy from things that would pass through a human undigested. The prune pit has a hard, nutritionally blank hull, but the embryo inside provides protein and fat. Rumen bacteria can break down the hull and free these nutrients, though it takes them a few days. DePeters showed me one of the mesh bags. Sometimes I put a midterm exam in there, he said. Cows can't digest wood pulp. I tell my students, 'The cow didn't digest that material any better than you did.
Cows have a unique digestive system that allows them to extract energy from fibrous materials that humans cannot digest. Their rumens are filled with diverse bacteria that break down tough plant structures, such as the hard hull of a prune pit, to access the nutritious embryo inside. This process takes time, highlighting the remarkable efficiency of their digestion compared to that of humans, who would not benefit from such foods.
In his demonstration, DePeters illustrates this concept with a mesh bag containing materials cows cannot digest, such as wood pulp. He relates it to students by suggesting that if cows struggle with these indigestible items, so would humans. This serves not only to explain the complexity of ruminant digestion but also to remind students of the distinctions in our digestive capabilities.
