The importance of washing the omasum for successful defaunation of sheep

Abstract

Four different methods for defaunating were tested. Small Entodinia but some times also other species of ciliates were found on the next day after defaunation when Aerosol OT was given in doses of 5 and 10 g/animal or 1-1.5 g/kg of rumen content. Emptying and washing the reticulorumen with a 0.9% NaCl solution and subsequent freezing of the contents to -20°C for 96 h resulted in absence of protozoa for a period of 10-14 days and this was followed by the re-establishment of a population of Eudiplodinium maggii, Entodinium simplex and Dasytricha ruminantium. Emptying and washing of the reticulo-rumen with warm (40°C) water accompanied by heating of the contents to 70°C and addition of 10 g of Aerosol OT or 5 g sodium lauryl sulphate (SDS) eliminated the ciliates from the rumen for a period of 7-40 days but re-establishment of small protozoa like Entodinium simplex and Entodinium caudatum was observed later.Emptying the reticulo-rumen and washing the omasum, reticulum and rumen with warm water followed by heating of the contents to 70°C and the addition of Aerosol OT at a proportion of 1 g/kg digesta resulted in elimination of all the species of ciliates from the reticulo-rumen of all defaunated sheep for a period longer than 70 days.

Effect of vegetable oils on the methane concentration and population density of the rumen ciliate, <i>Eremoplastron dilobum</i>, grown <i>in vitro</i>

“…The ciliates, Eremoplastron dilobum (Kofoid and Mc Lennan, 1932), were isolated from the rumen fluid of sheep and cultured in vitro according to Michałowski et al (1986) (Michałowski et al, 1999). Every day a mixed feed was added to the protozoa culture (0.375 mg/ml culture/d).…”

Effect of selected rumen fauna on the digestion of starch and outflow of α-glucose polymers from the reticulo-rumen of sheep

“…Period 1, ciliate-free animals; period 2, rams refaunated with Eudiplodinium maggii; period 3, rams refaunated with Eudiplodinium maggii and Entodinium caudatum. The animals were defaunated according to Michałowski et al (1999) while the protozoa established in the rumen originating from in vitro cultures.…”

Effect of the selected species of ciliates on β-endoglucanase and xylanase activities and fibre disappearance from the rumen of sheep

“…No ciliates were present in the rumen of all three sheep during the first experimental period which shows that defaunation method (Michalowski et al, 1999) was successful. Eudiplodinium maggii was present in the rumen for the next 3 periods; Entodinium caudatum -for the periods 3 and 4 while Dasytricha ruminantium -for the last period only (Table 1).…”