What substance does the ruminant digestive system help most to digest?
A. grain
B. corn
C. oats
D. grass
D. grass
The ruminant digestive system is specifically adapted to help in the digestion of grass. Therefore, the correct answer is D. grass.
To determine which substance the ruminant digestive system helps most to digest, we need to understand how the ruminant digestive system works. Ruminants are a group of animals that have a specialized digestive system capable of breaking down plant materials that are rich in cellulose, which is difficult to digest. The main function of the ruminant digestive system is to ferment and break down plant-based materials in the stomach.
The ruminant digestive system consists of several compartments, including the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. These compartments work together to facilitate the breakdown of feed materials.
Considering the options given, all of them are plant-based substances that can be part of a ruminant's diet. However, the substance that the ruminant digestive system is most efficient at digesting is grass. Grass contains a high proportion of cellulose and fiber, which are the primary components that ruminant animals, such as cows and sheep, are specialized to digest.
Therefore, the correct answer is D. grass.