[Digestion] A question

[Anand Karve]

we all know that methanogens reside in the guts of animals. The food that
the animals eat is converted into acetic acid by the non-methanogens
residing in the gut. Acetic acid is a simple and small molecule. So it can
be assumed that it is absorbed by the epithelial cells of the gut, and
that in the animal body  it gets oxidised into carbon dioxide and water, to
release energy. However, the gut also has methanogens, which convert acetic
acid into methane and carbon dioxide. The question is, does the animal get
any benefit from the methanogens or is the methanogen a parasite?
Yours
A.D.KARVE
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Dr. A.D. Karve
Trustee & Founder President, Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI)
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