How do cows primarily gather their food?

Cows primarily gather their food using their tongues, which play a crucial role in their unique feeding behavior. The tongue of a cow is long, flexible, and muscular, allowing it to grasp and manipulate grass and other forage effectively. This adaptation is particularly important for grazing since cows often feed in a crouched position, where their tongues can reach the grass close to the ground. They can wrap their tongues around plants and pull them into their mouths for chewing.

While the lips, mouth, and teeth are also involved in the feeding process, they do not have the same primary function in food gathering. For example, the lips help to grasp and hold food, and the mouth is essential for the overall process of eating, but it is the tongue that is the primary tool for obtaining food in the first place. The teeth, especially molars, are vital for chewing and breaking down the food once it has been gathered, but they do not assist in the initial collection of forage. This functional specialization makes the tongue the most significant organ in the food-gathering process for cows.