VFA Flashcards
Where are lipids absorbed in ruminant
Intestine
What does plant material consist of?
Hemicellulose
Cellulose
Pectin
Where are polysaccharides digested and what to
Rumen
VFA
Why do ruminants have microbes?
For digestion of
B-1,4 glycosidic bonds
Why does amylase not break down cell wall
Cannot break B-1,4 glycosidic bonds
Which molecules have B-1,4 bonds
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Pectin
What is pectin
Polymer of galacturonic acid
What is hemicellulose
Is polymer of different CHO
Glucose
Mannose
Arabinose
Xylose
How does saliva of ruminant compare to that ofmonogastric species (4)
Larger volume = keep foregut healthy
Higher pH - lots of bicarbonate
Higher buffering capacity - to neutralise VFA
Contains urea -incoperated into microbes
What are the conditions of fermentation (2)
Anaerobic - glycolysis
Low pH = 6
What is the blood flow like in the rumen
Little except in rumen wall but not sufficient for oxygen to pass through
What is the name for the type of relationship between host and microbes
Symbiotic
What can happen to microbe waste products
Utilised by another microbe
How do microbes gain energy
Partial oxidation of CHO
What happens to products of microbes
Utilised by host in aerobic metabolism
VFA
What are the products of microbial process of oxidation
VFA
H2O
CO2
Energy
What are VFA
Short chain fatty acids with 2,3,4 carbons
3 types of VFA
Acetic acid (2C)
Propionic acid (3C)
Butyric acid (4C)
Which VFA is most important and why
Propionic acid
Can be used as substrate in gluconeogenesis
Where are proteins absorbed in ruminant
Abomasum
Intestine
