Acta vet. Bmo, 47, 1978: 127-135.Six Slovak Spotted calves raised in isolation form their dams were examined for the presence of rumen protozoa from birth to 29 weeks of age. Entodinia were first observed 19 weeks after the animals had been fed roughage for 8 weeks. Eremoplastron spp. and Epidinium spp. occurred from the 25th week and Eudoplodimum spp. from the 27th week after birth. In three calves left with their dams for 20 days after birth entodinia were observed as early as 13 weeks after birth and epidinia and isotricha were present from the 18th week after birth. Rumen microorganisms, protozoa, Entodiniomorpha, Holotricha.There are conflicting reports as to the time at which protozoa first appear in the rumen of calves but it is, no doubt, rather late after birth. Although they may make their appearance in the first or second week after birth, provided that ruminal pH is higher than 6.0 they were generally demonstrated from the third week after birth (Lengemann and Allen 1959). According to other reports they do not appear until calves are 8 weeks old and then only in 15 per cent of animals (Latteur 1953), or even as late as 16 weeks after birth (Conrad et al. 1958).These discrepancies are not surprising when one reftects that the time at which protozoa possibly with the exception of ftagellates (Eadie 1962), appear in the rumen depends on contact of the calves with older, protozoa-harbouring animals (Strelkov et a1. 1933;Pounden and Hibbs 1950;Bryant et al. 1958;, Borhami et al. 1967.It is therefore conceivable that the methods of rearing particularly under intensive husbandry conditions inftuence faunation of the calves to a considerable extent. Since early establishment of ciliates in the rumen is important to the development and growth of calves, all practices that advance or delay the onset of rumen faunation, thus affecting the progress of transformation of a suckling into a ruminant, are of great importance and may have far-reaching consequences. Material and Methods AnimalsThe experimental animals were Slovak Spotted calves. They were separated from the dams immediately after birth before being licked by the cows. They were transferred first to a calf house where they were given a shower-bath, were brushed and then individually penned in cages bedded with straw. They were fed a milk diet four times a day for the first four days and three times a day for the next 15 days. At 20 days of age they were shifted to granulated alfalfa meal. At one month of age they were changed to clover hay. After being penned in cages up to 11 weeks of age, the animals were transferred to another calf house, about 200 m distant from the previous one, where they were loose-housed. One week later they were transferted to a third calf house, about 200 m distant fromthe previous one, where they were housed about twenty to a pen and fed alfalfa and clover hay ad libitum, received barley-and-maize meal three times a day and were provided with water. Afterwards they were transferted to a fourth calf house, about 800 m distant...

Crha J., V. Hrabe,P. Koubek: Rumen Ciliate Fauna in the Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.J. Acta vet. Brno, 54, 1985: 141-147. Total numbers, generic distribution and percentage species distribution were determined for the ciliate protozoa in rumen fluid obtained frem the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.J. Ten individuals shot in the Jeseniky Mountains in November and December were used in the study. A total of 792000 ± 115 03~ ciliates were found per 1,0 ml of rumen fluid. Thirteen ciliate species were identified as follows: Entodinium cervi, Ent. dubardi, Ent. exiguum, Ent. laeve, Ent. loboso-spinosum, Ent. nanellum, Ent. parvum, Ent. rupicaprae, Ent. simplex , Diplodinium costa tum, Eremoplastron impalae, Eudiplodinium maggii and Epidinium ecaudatum. Ciliata, Entodiniomorphida, rumen, wild ruminants.Rumen ciliates of chamois were first studied by Wertheim (1934) The aim of the present study was to compare the ciliate fauna of the rumen of alpine chamois with that of the individuals of the introduced chamois popUlation residing in the Jeseniky mountains. Materials and MethodsCiliate fauna of the rumen of 10 chamois was examined. The animals were shot in the Jeseniky mountains in November and December 1982 (8 individuals -6 males, among them one kid and 2 females), and in the same months of 1983 (2 individuals -1 male and 1 female).After sampling, the rumen fluid was mixed with equal amount of 10 % formalin. Total numbers of ciliates and their generic distribution were determined in 1,0 ml rumen fluid using the Fuchs Rosenthal chamber. The individual ciliate species were determined both directly in a 5 % preservative formalin solution and after staining the nucleus (with acid carmine, Garazzi's glycerin hematoxylin, Heidenheim ferrous hematoxylin, methyl green)_ The skeletal plates were stained with chlorzincjodide and differentiated with concentrated sulphuric acid_ Specimens of the individual ciliate species were measured. Their identification was based on the descriptions of Dog i e I

Crha J., J. Stfi~, M. Skfivanek, Z. Valach: Rumen Ciliates in Lamb Postnatal Ontogenesis. Acta vet. Bmo, 60, 1991: 137 -141.The development of rumen microfauna in 7 Merino lambs from birth to 3 months was investigated. In the first week after birth, the genus Entodinium appeared; in the second week Polyplastron multivesiculatum; in the third week ,Eremoplastron bovis and Enoploplastron triloricatum; in the 5th week Diploplastron affine and Isotricha prostoma; and in the 8th week Ophryoscolex tricoronatus and Dasytricha ruminantium. The average numbers of ciliates were 7 x 10 8 .ml-l in the second and third weeks, 6 x 10 8 .ml-l in the 4th week, and later they oscillated between 3 x 10' and 1 x 10'.ml-l rumen liquor. Ciliates, rumen, ontogen, sheepKnowledge of the forestomach microfauna in the young of ruminants is essential for understanding oftheir preruminant digestion (Oxford 1955; Bryant et a1. 1958;Hungate 1966; Fonty et a1. 1984). Contact with adults provides the original colonization by microfauna ). Data on rumen ecology are necessary for efficient use of various feed additives that may cause changes in rumen metabolism and digestion of the organic matter and thus substantially influence performance of the animals.The aim of the present work is to study the occurrence of the individual ciliate species in the young ruminants and to compare their rumen microfauna with that of the contacted adult individuals. Materials and MethodsA group of 7 Merino lambs born within a week in the Cooperative Farm Bofitov was used in the study. The animals were examined for 3 months from the first week of life. From birth to 3 weeks of age the lambs were placed in pens with their mothers and were separated from other animals. From week 4 they were placed with other lambs and had contact with their dams during sucking. Until week 9 they were allowed to suck at any day or night time from their mothers placed in a neighbouring pen. From the end of week 9, they were gradually weaned.From week 3, the lambs were fed ground meal in the morning, from week 7 they were given granulated alfalfa. From week 8, they were fed a concentrate mixture for lambs, in the morning and hay with granulated alfalfa in the afternoon, and water. After weaning they were fed concentrate for lambs, hay and water.Samples of rumen fluid were collected once weekly at the same time of day with a special oesophageal tube and underpressure pump. The collection apparatus was rinsed and disinfected prior to each sampling. The collected rumen fluid was immediately mixed with 10 % formaldehyde.To compare microfauna of mothers and their young, in the second week after delivery, the rumen fluid of the dams was collected, too.Prior to microscopical examination each formaldehyde-treated sample was shaken, a part of it was placed into a Fuchs-Rosenthal counting chamber and the numbers of ciliates in 1 ml rumen