Category: Ruminant digestion

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is a complex vitamin that neither plants nor animals can produce on their own; instead, it is synthesized exclusively by certain bacteria and archaea. For cows, this vital nutrient doesn't come directly from their plant-based diet, but rather from the powerful microbial ecosystem that flourishes within their rumen. This unique digestive process transforms the mineral cobalt into the vitamin their bodies can use.

While a cow's diet can consist of 60-70% carbohydrates, the animal itself does not have a high carbohydrate content, unlike its feed. The seemingly simple question of 'how many carbs does a cow have?' reveals a complex biological process centered on their unique ruminant digestive system.