AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Horses and rabbits are modified monogastric herbivores. Horses are able to utilize large amounts of roughage due to their relatively large cecum. The cecum is a section of the colon where digestive bacteria break down roughage.

Detailed explanation-2: -Rabbits are monogastric (they have a single stomach) and herbivorous (they eat plants). They need to receive nutrients in specific amounts to grow and perform at their best. Some examples of important nutrients you should provide for your rabbit include proteins, carbohydrates, lipids (or fats), minerals and vitamins.

Detailed explanation-3: -Rabbits are monogastric, hindgut fermenting herbivores. This means that your bunny is a plant eater with one simple stomach (unlike a cow), a simple small intestine (duodenum and jejunum) and large hindgut (caecum and colon) containing bacteria that help to digest food.

Detailed explanation-4: -A monogastric is an animal with a single-compartmented stomach. Examples of monogastrics include humans, poultry, pigs, horses, rabbits, dogs and cats. Most monogastrics are generally unable to digest much cellulose food materials such as grasses.

Detailed explanation-5: -Because the rabbit does not regurgitate its food and chew the cud, but does rely on gut fermentation and caecotrophy for its nutritional wellbeing, this herbivorous species is sometimes referred to as a “pseudo-ruminant”.