2019-04-01_Wildlife_Ranching_Magazine

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colonareagetabsorbedthrough

thegutwallandbecomethe

animal’smainsourceofenergy.

intestine,enzymesbreakdowntheingestedfeedinto

protein,lipidandhydrolysablecarbohydrates.Theacidic

conditionsin thegastricstomachfurtherfacilitateprotein

digestion,convertingthecomplexproteinmoleculesinto

peptidesandpolypeptides.

Whentheingestedfoodentersthesmallintestine,it

undergoesdigestionanddegradation,wherethefood

getsbrokendownintoitsconstituentnutrients,whichget

absorbedintothebodyviathebloodstream.Thegastric

stomachandsmallintestinecandigestthecarbohydrates,

proteinsandlipids,butdonothavetheenzymesnecessary

todigestthefibre.

Thefibrousplantmatterthatis leftoverafterenzymatic

actionin thegastricstomachandsmallintestine,gets

pushedintothelargeintestineorthecaecumcolonregion

byperistalticaction.Thecaecumis wherethemajorityof

thefibre(cellulose)digestiontakesplace.Thecolonis

importantforwaterandmineralabsorption.Fibredigestion

is facilitatedbyfermentationandenzymessecretedbythe

residentmicrobialpopulation.TheVFAs(acetic,propionic

andbutyric)producedin thecaecumcolonareaget

absorbedthroughthegutwallandbecometheanimal’s

mainsourceofenergy.>>

Intakeofdryfoodforananimalweighing

1 650kgrangesfrom1%to1.5%formale

andfemaleanimals,wherea cowwithcalf

willrequireapproximately1.9%dryfood(dry

matter)ona dailybasis.Inotherwords,a

rhinoceroscowrequiresapproximately25kg

drygrassperday,equatingtoapproximately

27.5kggrassona 10%moisturebasis.

HINDGUT FERMENTER

White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum).
Photo © Jonathan Pledger

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