Cows chew cud because it helps them to secrete saliva. Their saliva has a type of natural ‘antacid’ in it, which helps to control the acid levels in the ‘rumen’- the first compartment of the stomach. This allows a cow to digest grass and hay better and to eat even more feed (and get nice and fat) which in turn, helps ol’ Bossy produce more milk. (Did you know dairy cows spend almost 8 hours a day chewing their cuds? That’s almost 30,000 chews daily!)