Physiology of the Cecum and Colon
In carnivores the cecum and colon primarily absorb water and some electrolytes to reduce the volume and fluidity of the digesta in the formation of feces. Feces are also stored in the terminal portions of the colon prior to their movement into the rectum for defecation. In omnivores (e.g., pig) and some herbivores (e.g., cattle and sheep) the cecum and colon are also sites of some limited fermentation and microbial digestion. In cattle and sheep the cecum and colon are proportionally larger and more complex than in carnivores, but the fore-stomach is the much more important site of fermentative digestion in these herbivores.