Cow pat (cow dung) deposited in a field. Cows (Bos taurus) produce large quantities of dung from their diet, which is mainly grass and other meadow plants. They consume large quantities of grass, regurgitating and chewing the semi-digested food before it passes through several stomachs and their intestines. What remains after digestion forms the dung seen here. This dung is rich in minerals and is an important source of fertiliser, used both on grass meadows and other farm fields, promoting new plant growth and providing a food source for several animals, in particular insects such as flies that lay their eggs in the dung. Dried cow dung is also used as a fuel in many parts of the world.