When ruminants are fed cellulose the microbiota hydrolyse (in rumen) it to the smallest disaccharide (cellobiose) units or if it was starch it would be hydrolysed to maltose . Thereafter, maltose will further be digested to yield two molecules of glucose in the small intestine. However, a certain amount of glucose will be absorbed in small intestine of a ruminant, but not all of it as it would happen in monogastric animals. This is believed to lower or have impact on net energy supply to a ruminant animal. Why?

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