The Absorption of Volatile Fatty Acids from the Rumen

The fermentation of carbohydrates in the rumen of sheep is known to lead to the formation of large amounts of the lower fatty acids. The important part that these acids assume in the metabolism of ruminants has been remarked upon (Marston, 1939, 1946). While it is believed that acetic, propionic and butyric acids are the main fatty acid products of the fermentation, there is no certain knowledge of the proportions and quantities in which they are formed.