R.B. Becker

Rumen Protozoa in Florida Dairy Cattle

Ciliate infusoria were recognized among the microorganisms observed by Gruby and Delafond in the rumens of cattle as early as 1843. These workers attributed the ability of ruminants to utilize roughage to microorganisms. E. Mangold (1929) listed 19 species of protozoa from the bovine stomach, among 33 protozoan species obtained from eight different spocies of ruminants. Becker and Talbott (1927) found from 2-16 species in each of 26 cattle slaughtered in the Iowa State College abattoir, and reported a total of 33 species from the rumens of ruminants. Becker and Hsiung (1930) pointed out that protozoa enter the host through ingestion of freshly contaminated feed or water, and not in cyst form.