| Mastication | Rumination |
| 1. Grinding, chewing and shredding of food in the mouth by teeth is called mastication. | 1. It is the chewing of cud that come from a part near the stomach of the animal to its mouth. |
| 2. Mastication occurs only one time in the oral cavity. | 2. Rumination allows food to undergo mastication more than once. |
| 3. This is also known as chewing the food. | 3. This is also known as chewing the cud. |
| 4. It makes the food particles to tiny particles. Does not involve nutrient absorption. | 4. It allows greater nutrients to be extracted and absorbed from the food particles. |
| 5. It occurs in most of the animals (mammals), eg: Human being | 5. It occurs only in ruminate animals. eg: Cow |
