About Lesson
- All of these bacteria are anaerobic and the list includes gram +ve, gram –ve, Cocci, Bacilli and Spirillum form & majority are carbohydrate fermenters.
- Obligately anaerobic mycoplasmas are also present in the rumen.
- When compared to bacterial population, protozoa are much less numerous.
- But, they so much larger than the bacteria that they occupy a volume nearly equal to that occupied by bacteria.
- The most important rumen protozoa are anaerobic ciliates (Isotricha epidinium, Diplodinium, Entodinium) that are differentiated on the basis of morphology.
- They belong to 2 groups; the Holotrichous Protozoa with entire body surface….covered by cilia and Entodiniomorphid protozoa with cilia assembled in tufts that do not cover much of the body surface variability among protozoal population is markedly affected by diet.
- It has been demonstrated that organisms once thought to be flagellated are actually fungal zoospores.
- The zoospores attached to plant fragments and form Rhizoids that penetrate the plant tissue.
- Rhizoids then form sporangia which when mature release new zoospores.
- Increased no. of free Zoospores can be detected in 15 minutes to 1 hours’ time after feeding. The zoospores are motile.
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