In addition to the bacteria in the rumen there are many larger (5–250/mm long) organisms which at various times have been designated protozoa Of these the ‘ovals’ (Quin’s and Eadie’s) are now known to be large bacteria (Orpin, 1976) and the ‘flagellates’ Neocallimastix frontalis, Piromonas communis and Sphaeromonas communis are the zoospores of phycomycete fungi (Orpin, 1977a, b) There are genuine flagellates in the rumen, eg Trichomonas spp, Monoceromonas sp and Chilomastix sp, but almost nothing is known about their metabolism (Jensen and Hammon, 1964) The largest, most obvious and most important protozoa are the ciliates, of which there are two groups both in the subclass Trichostomatia The so called ‘holotrich’ protozoa belong to the order Vestibuliferida and the entodiniomorphs to the order Entodiniomorphida, suborder Entodiniomorphina and family Ophryoscolecidae As the properties and metabolism of these two protozoal groups are different, they will be considered separately below

The Rumen Protozoa

http://www.anuragaja.staff.ipb.ac.id/files/2012/04/13-Eugene-et-al-2004-Meta-defaunation.pdf

Quantitative meta-analysis on the effects of defaunation of the rumen on growth, intake and digestion in ruminants

Effect of defaunating the rumen

Publisher Summary Rumen protozoa were first observed in rumen metabolism. These ciliate protozoa are present in all wild and domesticated ruminants and are of two types: the entodiniomorphid protozoa characterized by the presence of a firm pellicle and the possession of cilia on the peristome and the holotrich protozoa, which are completely covered with cilia. Rumen ciliate protozoa are acquired by young ruminants directly from adult animals or by eating food contaminated with saliva from such animals. Lambs or calves reared in the absence of adult animals have no ciliate protozoa although they acquire a normal bacterial flora. The chapter outlines the role of the protozoa in ruminant growth, metabolism, and disease, followed by descriptions of physiology and biochemistry of individual species. General findings are correlated to show the role played by protozoa in normal ruminants.

Rumen ciliate protozoa.

Rumen ciliate protozoa: effects on digestion in the stomach of sheep

Effect of early establishment of ciliate protozoa in the rumen on microbial activity and growth of early weaned buffalo calves.

Effect of feeding broken rice grains and decorticated cottonseed meal on feed efficiency, ruminal activity, and blood constituents of early weaned buffalo calves.

B.E.A. Borhami

Papers

Effect of early establishment of ciliate protozoa in the rumen on microbial activity and growth of early weaned buffalo calves.

Effect of feeding broken rice grains and decorticated cottonseed meal on feed efficiency, ruminal activity, and blood constituents of early weaned buffalo calves.