We evaluated how polymeric seed coatings influence the capacity of ruminants to degrade and disperse native grass seeds in semi-arid environments. Using an in situ ruminal incubation, seeds representing four perennial bunchgrass species-Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), and bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata)-were treated with either polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix or a dual-layer formulation combining PVP with ethyl cellulose (Ethocel). Seeds were ruminally incubated (0, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 96 h). After removal, seeds were transferred to greenhouses for viability and germination assays for five weeks. Coating altered seed germination, with PVP and PVP + Ethocel reducing (P <= 0.05) germination at 0 h for most species except Indian ricegrass. Over time, polymer-coated seeds demonstrated improved resistance (P <= 0.05) to microbial and enzymatic breakdown relative to uncoated. Indian ricegrass showed an atypical response, maintaining or improving germination rates under PVP and control through extended rumen exposure. Fecal emergence was highest in PVP + Ethocel seeds (P <= 0.05), indicating enhanced protection through gastrointestinal passage. These findings show that polymer coatings influence seed degradation in the rumen and improve post-digestion viability and dispersal by grazing animals, a land management framework for seeds dispersal.