Why is a cows intestine bigger than a humans intestine?

Answer 1

It is due to the nature of the food that cows and humans eat.

Humans eat small quantities of very high energy food that rapidly releases sugars, minerals and proteins to the human body. There is no need for a huge digestive tract to digest this type of food.

Cows eat very low grade food, normally grass, with lots of cellulose and a tiny amount of mineral and protein. Cellulose is not easily digestible, but it can be broken down given enough time soaking in the correct digestive enzymes. Cows therefore have a large gut capacity, to give their mainly cellulose diet enough soaking time to break down and be useful to them. Most of the processing is done in a very large part of the gut called the caecum.

Humans have the remains of a caecum too, but it is tiny and doesn't work any more. Its called the Appendix.

Answer 2

Most mammals have two distinctly different type of intestines - small intestines and large intestines. Starting from the stomach, food goes into the small intestine then the large intestine then is eliminated from the animal via the rectum.

The small intestine is designed for efficient absorption of nutrients, while the large intestine is designed for water resorption.