“Cattle and goats do not browse the Calotropis plant.” Justify the statement giving reasons.

Class 12th Biology, Question paper 2023 -"Cattle and goats do not browse the Calotropis plant." Justify the statement giving reasons.

Question :”Cattle and goats do not browse the Calotropis plant.” Justify the statement giving reasons.

The correct answer is -The Calotropis plant is toxic to many animals, including cattle and goats. The leaves and stems of the plant contain several toxic compounds, including cardiac glycosides and alkaloids, which can cause a variety of adverse effects in animals.

When cattle and goats attempt to browse on the Calotropis plant, they may experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and cardiac arrhythmias. In severe cases, ingestion of Calotropis can even lead to death.

As a result of these toxic effects, cattle and goats generally avoid browsing on Calotropis plants. They have evolved to recognize the plant’s toxicity and learn to avoid it, selecting other available forage instead.

Therefore, the statement “Cattle and goats do not browse the Calotropis plant” is justified, as it is a result of the plant’s toxicity and the animals’ learned avoidance behavior.