Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Ruminant animals possess a complex stomach including a specialized fermentation vat (the rumen).
This chamber hosts a dense population of symbiotic microbes capable of synthesizing high-quality microbial protein from simple non-protein nitrogen (NPN) sources like urea.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
- In ruminants (like buffaloes), dietary urea is hydrolyzed by microbial urease in the rumen to form ammonia (\( \text{NH}_3 \)) and carbon dioxide (\( \text{CO}_2 \)).
- Rumen bacteria utilize this ammonia alongside carbohydrate-derived carbon chains to synthesize amino acids and microbial proteins.
- These microbes eventually pass into the abomasum and small intestine, where they are digested and absorbed as high-quality protein by the host animal.
- Monogastric animals (like pigs, poultry, and guinea pigs) lack a functional rumen and microbial fermentation system of this scale. In these animals, urea cannot be utilized and instead poses a risk of toxicity.
Step 4: Final Answer
Therefore, only buffaloes (as ruminants) can utilize urea as a source of dietary nitrogen.