Volatile fatty acid production in the grey duiker, <i>Sylvicapra grimmia</i>

Abstract

Volatile fatty acid production was studied in the rumen and caecum of culled grey duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia land in the rumen of tame fistulated duikers. The caecum had a higher total VFA concentration and production rate per unit volume than the rumen but when considering total volume the caecum was only 14-17% of the rumen values. The energy obtained from ruminal VFA was calculated to satisfy 36,1oh and 74,9oh of the basal metabolic energy requirements of field animals in summer and winter respectivelyT. he total hindgut contribution (caecum + colon) would amount to 19% in summer and 30% in winter emphasizing the importance of fibre fermentation in the hindgut.

Vlugtige vetsuur produksie is ondersoek in die grootpens en sakderm van die uitskot grys duikers (Sylvicapra grimmia) en in die grootpensv an gefistuleerdem ak duikers.D ie sakdermh et 'n hoer totale vlugtigev etsuurk onsentrasiee n produksiet empo per eenheid volume gehad as die grootpens, maar wanneer totale volume in ag geneem is, was die sakderm slegs 14-17o/o van die grootpens waardes. Dit is bereken dat die energiew at verkryi s van die vlugtigev etsureg eproduseeri n die grootpens 36,1ohe n 74,9o/ov an die basale metaboliese energievereistevsa n velddiereb evredig,i n die somer en winter onderskeidelik. Die totale bydrae van die agterderm (sakderm + dikderm) sal 19% in die somer en 30% in die winter wees, wat die belangrikheidv an veselfermentasiein die agterderm beklemtoon.

Keywords: Rumen, volatile fatty acids, energy, grey duiker