Changes

Hindgut fermenters have an enlarged hindgut as opposed to foregut, as the [[Stomach and Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|ruminants]] do, for microbial fermentation to take place. Hindgut fermentation provides advantages and disadvantages.

Hindgut fermenters have an enlarged hindgut as opposed to foregut, as the [[Stomach and Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|ruminants]] do, for microbial fermentation to take place. Hindgut fermentation provides advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

'''Advantages:'''

*Soluble carbohydrates, such as glycogen, are available to the animal before they are available to the microbes. Therefore the brain, which can only utilise glucose, receives a good, constant supply with relatively less time and energy utilised than in the ruminant.

*Soluble carbohydrates, such as glycogen, are available to the animal before they are available to the microbes. Therefore the brain, which can only utilise glucose, receives a good, constant supply with relatively less time and energy utilised than in the ruminant.

**[[Stomach and Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|Foregut fermenters]] recieve nearly all of their energy in the form of VFAs, which have to be converted to glucose by gluconeogenesis in the liver to be able to be used by the brain.

**[[Stomach and Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|Foregut fermenters]] recieve nearly all of their energy in the form of VFAs, which have to be converted to glucose by gluconeogenesis in the liver to be able to be used by the brain.

Disadvantages:     

'''Disadvantages:'''      

*Microbes in the foregut can convert non-proteinaceous sources of nitrogen, like ammonia and urea to all of the amino acids. Microbial protein is available to the ruminant when the microbes die and pass down into the abomasum and small intestine. Therfore ruminants can survive on a poor quality source of of nitrogen.

*Microbes in the foregut can convert non-proteinaceous sources of nitrogen, like ammonia and urea to all of the amino acids. Microbial protein is available to the ruminant when the microbes die and pass down into the abomasum and small intestine. Therfore ruminants can survive on a poor quality source of of nitrogen.

**Microbial protein is not available to hindgut fermenters because when the microbes in the large intestine die, they get excreted as there is no futher opportunity for their digestion.  

**Microbial protein is not available to hindgut fermenters because when the microbes in the large intestine die, they get excreted as there is no futher opportunity for their digestion.