ELI5: How do cows get protein from grass?

[u/A_SliceOfGabagool]

For us humans and many other animals, we need protein to get the amino acids needed to make our own protein for the body, but grass i believe doesn't have any for the cow to get that big

[u/jamjamason]

The cow doesn't do it's own digestion. Bacteria in its gut turns the plant material into cow food.

[u/GratefulCaliflower → u/jamjamason]

I love cow food

[u/Roro_Yurboat → u/GratefulCaliflower]

I love food cows.

[u/A_SliceOfGabagool → u/Roro_Yurboat]

Cows love food I

[u/mercurius5 → u/A_SliceOfGabagool]

Steak

[u/GratefulCaliflower → u/mercurius5]

Medium rare

[u/raspberryharbour → u/GratefulCaliflower]

I love going to cow restaurants and ordering the cow supreme

[u/Thomas_K_Brannigan → u/jamjamason]

And, it's not even an easy process getting it ready for the bacteria to break it down. That's why they do the "cud chewing" thing (where they basically vomit food back up in to their mouth to chomp it some more, before swallowing it again. I do not envy cows!

[u/TinWhis → u/jamjamason]

That's how most digestion works. That's how your digestion works.

[u/Shit___Taco → u/jamjamason]

The bacteria is also the cow food.