HOW DO HERBIVORES GET THEIR PROTEIN?

HOW DO HERBIVORES GET THEIR PROTEIN? 
Animals that get all their nutrition from grass and other plants are called herbivores. Herbivores are capable of something that humans aren’t: digesting cellulose. Cellulose is a type of carbohydrate that helps make up plant cell walls. These cell walls are rigid and hard to break down, making them difficult to digest, even for herbivores. Herbivores have digestive systems that contain bacteria that have the enzymes necessary to break down cellulose. Once the cells are broken down they can access proteins, sugar and fat locked inside plant cells.

Grass is not only difficult to digest, but time-consuming to eat. Many herbivores depend on grass for a majority of their diet, but grass doesn’t contain as much protein as meat does. A predator can get enough protein by eating perhaps only a handful of meaty meals a day. However, animals who eat grass must spend most of their day munching away on grass to get enough protein and other nutrients in their diet.
Monogastrics

Digesting cellulose to obtain protein isn’t a fast process. Herbivores use fermentation to break down the grass they eat. Monogastric animals have only one stomach. Monogastrics include horses, zebras and rabbits. Humans are monogastrics, but aren’t capable of using cellulose. Herbivores that eat grass and break down cellulose have enlarged stomachs or an area in the intestine where fermentation can take place in order to break down plant cells. They are classified as either foregut or hindgut fermenters depending on whether fermentation happens in the stomach or further along in the digestive tract.

Ruminants
Ruminants, like cows, have stomachs with four parts and chew their cud. Ruminants are capable of digesting grass more completely since it stays in the digestive system longer. They have a section of their stomach called the rumen specifically for the fermentation of plant material. It’s full of bacteria capable of breaking down cellulose. They regurgitate the food and chew it to further break it down, called the cud.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE DOs AND DONT’s DURING A GAME DRIVE . Ensure you get guests interests - [ ] Avoid over speeding to enable you and your guests to be able on the look out for the animals. - [ ] Encourage your guests to equally participate and on the look out for the animals - [ ] Whenever you see animals and guests want to see them, stop and explain briefly about what you see - [ ] Try to be scientific as possible, update yourself on the books you have . Remember you may have scientists and other learned people in the same vehicle and people who may know more about animals than you. - [ ] Explain other things of interest in your area, birds 🦢 , landmarks - [ ] Avoid off-road drive as much as possible - [ ] Do not dominate the talking - [ ] Avoid just pointing out at something you do not explain, for instance trees. Some trees are very useful locally; othes have medicinal properties while others are extremely poisonous, explain these whenever you pass eg Teminalia spinosa -A favorite staple fo
Read more

Tour guide skills

Dear Guides! AS A TOUR GUIDE, It’s very important that you learn how to engage with your Guests! Everyone has something unique to offer. Find out what makes people who they are. Hear their story. Ask questions. Dig deep and connect. Build on common ground. At its most basic level, any relationship is built on some kind of common ground. When you meet someone, try to find something that connects you to similar backgrounds, values experiences. When you detect a pattern, a "Yeah, me too!" moment, connection is instantaneous. Smile. "Smile and the whole world smiles with you." Sure, it's a cliche, but for good reason. A smile generates enthusiasm and interest; it communicates friendliness and goodwill; it shows you to be accessible and approachable. Smile when you speak to someone, as you walk into a room, and when you pick up the phone. Remember names. Notice how people introduce themselves and let that be your guide in addressing them. Remembering a person&#
Read more

Wildlife terminologies

WILDLIFE TERMINOLOGIES. Environment. The terms which describes all external conditions such as soil, water ,water and organisms surrounding a living thing. Ecology. The study of living things in relation to each other, and their relationship to the non-living environment. Conservation . The wise of use of the earth’s natural resources that ensure their continuing availability for generations to come. Adaptation. The ability of nature to improve the survival rate of animals or plants 🌱 in a particular habitat. Habitat The immediate surroundings of a plant 🌱 or animal 🦓 🦒 that has everything necessary to life in a particular area. Species. Relates to a group of plants 🌱 or animals 🦒 with common characteristics. Shrub. A woody plants 🌱 smaller than tree 🌲 which has more than one stem rising from the ground. Parasitism. One partner benefit(parasite) and the other partner is harmed by the association (host). Commensalism A relationship between two organisms existing in the
Read more