explain the digestion in plant eating animals
Answers
Answer:
Digestion in humans is carried out by an organized and distinct human digestive system. Food is ingested through the mouth and enters into the food pipe or oesophagus through the pharynx and finally to the stomach. On reaching the stomach, complex food is broken down into simpler substances by secreting digestive juices with the absorption of nutrients. Undigested food is further directed to the small and large intestine which carries out further absorption. Unwanted waste is directed to the rectum for excretion.
Digestion in Ruminants
Grass eating animals are known as ruminants. Animals like cows, goats and buffaloes eat grass. These animals swallow grass quickly and store in a sac-like structure called the rumen. Rumen forms the first stomach and is four-chambered. Here, food is partially digested and is called the cud. Plants contain cellulose in large quantities. Cellulose is a complex structure which is broken down into simpler particles in the rumen. The process where cud returns to the mouth in small lumps for ruminants to chew is called rumination.
Rumination is aided by bacteria present in the rumen which breaks down cellulose in plants. The digested food is then passed to the reticulum. Some animals including humans cannot digest cellulose for its complex structure.
Some animals including Rabbits and Horses have a large sac-like structure called caecum which is present between the food pipe or the oesophagus and the small intestine. Cellulose present in the food is digested by the action of bacteria which humans do not possess.
Answer:
animals eating plants have larger small intestine as they must digest cellulose they have larger small intestine comparing to meat eating animals