Changes

Cellulose exists in the cell walls of plants. Mammals are unable to digest cellulose due it's structure. Cellulose is a polymer of glucose where each glucose monomer is joined to the next by a β-1,4 glycosidic bond. Mammalian enzymes only have the capability to break α-1,4 glycosidic bonds, which are seen in starch and glycogen.

Cellulose exists in the cell walls of plants. Mammals are unable to digest cellulose due it's structure. Cellulose is a polymer of glucose where each glucose monomer is joined to the next by a β-1,4 glycosidic bond. Mammalian enzymes only have the capability to break α-1,4 glycosidic bonds, which are seen in starch and glycogen.

===Comparison with [[Stomach and Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|Foregut Fermenters]]===

===Comparison with [[Ruminant Stomach - Anatomy & Physiology|Foregut Fermenters]]===

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 [[Ruminant Stomach - 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 [[Volatile Fatty Acids - Anatomy & Physioogy|VFAs]], which have to be converted to glucose by gluconeogenesis in the liver to be able to be used by the brain.

**[[Ruminant Stomach - Anatomy & Physiology|Foregut fermenters]] recieve nearly all of their energy in the form of [[Volatile Fatty Acids - Anatomy & Physioogy|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 [[The Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|abomasum]] and [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]]. Therefore 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 [[The Abomasum - Anatomy & Physiology|abomasum]] and [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]]. Therefore ruminants can survive on a poor quality source of of nitrogen.