Ruminants, dietary fiber digestion

The primary fate of dietary fibers is digestion and catabolism by the gut microflora to short-chain fatty acids and carbon dioxide. The major products of this microbiai mctaboiism — acetic, propionic, and butyTic acid — are important sources of energy for ruminants (sheeps cows). Dietary fiber is retained in a chamber of their gastrointeslinai tracts, calied the rumen, where it is converted to short-chain fatty acids by the gut micro flora. The fatty acids produced may supply 3 75 y<> of the energy requirement of the ruminant. 

---