Role of Rumen Protozoa: Metabolic and Fibrolytic

Abstract

Rumen is first chamber of the gastrointestinal track of ruminant where digestion of the plant fibres is taken place and solids are absorbed followed by reticulum site for waste removal. After reticulum, omasum and abomasum are like other nonruminants followed by small intestine. After a long time period from the first exposure to rumen, researchers started taking interest in rumen protozoa. After 1920, significant studies were started in identification, morphology and functions of rumen protozoa [1]. In addition to that it was observed that presence and absence of particular rumen protozoa affect factors like pH, ammonia concentration and also type and number of bacteria and these all factors affect digestion in ruminants [2]. Active participation of ciliate protozoa in digestion process of ruminants was earlier suggested by Tier and Hungate and Coleman et al., [3] and then was proven earlier by in vivo and in vitro studies [4-6] and also further supported till date by various studies relating to that [7-9].