Ruminant animals such as cows regurgitate their food and chew it (the "cud")seemingly nonstop all day long.What type of muscle fibers would you expect to find in their masticatory muscles?

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Ruminant animals such as cows engage in constant chewing and grinding of their food, which requires sustained contractions of their masticatory muscles. These muscles are primarily composed of oxidative slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are capable of sustaining contractions for prolonged periods of time without fatigue. Glycolytic fast-twitch fibers would not be optimal since they fatigue quickly, while smooth muscle is found in other systems such as the digestive tract but would not be involved in chewing.

Ruminant Animals Such as Cows Regurgitate Their Food and Chew