Palatability - more than a metter of taste

Is it palatable or unpalatable? These terms are often used to describe forage plants or livestock feeds, but do we really understand the meaning of palatability? Webster defines palatable as agreeable to the palate or taste. Animal scientists explain palatability as the degree to which animals like a food based on its flavor. Plant scientists describe palatability as a plant’s chemical composition, its structure and the availability of other plant species in a pasture or on rangeland. These definitions of palatability focus on either 1) a food’s flavor or 2) its chemical and/or physical characteristics but none of these definitions link the two.