What nutritional yield, expressed as crude protein percentage, characterizes much of the bulk grass zebras must consume for sustenance?
Answer
1-2%
The staple food of zebras, which constitutes the bulk of their caloric intake, is often of low nutritional quality. To sustain body weight on this vegetation, they must ingest massive quantities because the crude protein content frequently yields only 1 to 2%. Concurrently, this forage is often high in fiber, sometimes measuring between 40-50%. This combination of low protein density and high fiber content necessitates a bulk-feeding strategy, requiring the zebra to dedicate extensive time to eating and processing large volumes of material simply to meet basal energy requirements.
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