Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1990 Feb;56(2):409–412. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.2.409-412.1990

Omasal ciliated protozoa in cattle, bison, and sheep.

G Towne 1, T G Nagaraja 1
PMCID: PMC183353  PMID: 2306089

Abstract

Omasal contents were collected from slaughtered cattle (n = 54), bison (n = 15), and sheep (n = 40) to determine numbers and generic distribution of ciliated protozoa. Total protozoan numbers were significantly lower in omasal contents than in ruminal contents of all three species, but the percent composition of all protozoan genera was similar between omasal and ruminal populations. The highest numbers of omasal protozoa found were 7.61 X 10(5)/g in cattle, 7.01 X 10(5)/g in bison, and 1.29 X 10(6)/g in sheep. Omasal dry matter was significantly higher than ruminal dry matter in all species and ranged up to 51.5% in cattle fed high-concentrate diets. The omasal pH was similar to the ruminal pH in all species. The number of omasal laminae averaged 149, 145, and 74 for cattle, bison, and sheep, respectively. Although protozoan concentrations in omasal contents were approximately 80% lower than those in ruminal contents, the omasum harbored relatively high numbers of ciliated protozoa. The resident omasal protozoa are extremely difficult to remove, particularly in cattle, and apparently are responsible for reinoculating transiently defaunated rumens.

Full text

PDF
409

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Akkada A. R., Bartley E. E., Berube R., Fina L. R., Meyer R. M., Henricks D., Julius F. Simple method of remove completely ciliate protozoa of adult ruminants. Appl Microbiol. 1968 Oct;16(10):1475–1477. doi: 10.1128/am.16.10.1475-1477.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bird S. H., Leng R. A. The effects of defaunation of the rumen on the growth of cattle on low-protein high-energy diets. Br J Nutr. 1978 Jul;40(1):163–167. doi: 10.1079/bjn19780108. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Craig W. M., Broderick G. A., Ricker D. B. Quantitation of microorganisms associated with the particulate phase of ruminal ingesta. J Nutr. 1987 Jan;117(1):56–62. doi: 10.1093/jn/117.1.56. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ffoulkes D., Leng R. A. Dynamics of protozoa in the rumen of cattle. Br J Nutr. 1988 May;59(3):429–436. doi: 10.1079/bjn19880051. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Leng R. A., Dellow D., Waghorn G. Dynamics of large ciliate protozoa in the rumen of cattle fed on diets of freshly cut grass. Br J Nutr. 1986 Sep;56(2):455–462. doi: 10.1079/bjn19860125. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. McSweeney C. S. A comparative study of the anatomy of the omasum in domesticated ruminants. Aust Vet J. 1988 Jul;65(7):205–207. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1988.tb14458.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. McSweeney C. S. An omaso-abomasal cannula used to assess efflux from the omasum of sheep. Aust Vet J. 1986 Oct;63(10):332–334. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1986.tb02877.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Michalowski T., Harmeyer J., Breves G. The passage of protozoa from the reticulo-rumen through the omasum of sheep. Br J Nutr. 1986 Nov;56(3):625–634. doi: 10.1079/bjn19860143. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Nakamura F., Kurihara Y. Maintenance of a certain rumen protozoal population in a continuous in vitro fermentation system. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Mar;35(3):500–506. doi: 10.1128/aem.35.3.500-506.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Orpin C. G., Mathiesen S. D. Microcetus lappus gen. nov., sp. nov.: new species of ciliated protozoon from the bovine rumen. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Sep;52(3):527–530. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.3.527-530.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Prins R. A., Hungate R. E., Prast E. R. Function of the omasum in several ruminant species. Comp Biochem Physiol A Comp Physiol. 1972 Sep 1;43(1):155–163. doi: 10.1016/0300-9629(72)90477-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. STEVENS C. E., SELLERS A. F., SPURRELL F. A. Function of the bovine omasum in ingesta transfer. Am J Physiol. 1960 Feb;198:449–455. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1960.198.2.449. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Smith R. H. Microbial activity in the omasum. Proc Nutr Soc. 1984 Jan;43(1):63–68. doi: 10.1079/pns19840028. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Veira D. M., Ivan M., Jui P. Y. Rumen ciliate protozoa: effects on digestion in the stomach of sheep. J Dairy Sci. 1983 May;66(5):1015–1022. doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(83)81896-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Weller R. A., Pilgrim A. F. Passage of protozoa and volatile fatty acids from the rumen of the sheep and from a continuous in vitro fermentation system. Br J Nutr. 1974 Sep;32(2):341–351. doi: 10.1079/bjn19740087. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES