It would be interesting to know how much phytic acid is in non-grain grass
seeds and how these levels compare to those in cereal-grain grass seeds.
Even if there is very little, field legumes like trefoil (clover) might
account on their own for the partial bacterial-phytase adaptation in
ruminants. As was mentioned, cattle tend to eat grass before it can go to
seed, but I would think there would have been times when cattle predecessors
like aurochs ate mature grass that had gone to seed, if food was scarce. So,
if non-grain grass seeds contain some phytates, they might have made a
contribution to the phytase adaptation.

The mention of the protein from legumes being essential to sheep
reproduction is interesting, as captive primates reproduce better when fed
some meat, so bioavailable protein may be the factor there too.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paleolithic Eating Support List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gale
> Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:09 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Weevils, worms and maggots: the natural consumers of
> grains
> 
> ....
> 
> I don't know anything about it, but I would assume that if an animal is
> adapted to eating grasses, it will also be adapted to eating the seeds
> of those grasses, but the quantity of seed to stalk would be small.
> Feeding the seeds without the stalks of the grasses should then cause
> problems as you describe.
> gale
> 
> 
>