Morphological Characterization of Rumen Protozoa Isolated from Sweet Sorghum Hydrolysis Using Carabao (Bubalus bubalis Linn) Rumen Fluid

This study was conducted to morphologically characterize rumen protozoa isolated in the batch type hydrolysis of sweet sorghum using 1% fresh carabao rumen fluid with duration of Day 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days of the novel process hydrolysis. Hydrolysis was conducted using 5% chopped sweet sorghum bagasse. Nitrogen content was augmented using 0.35 g urea per 750 ml effective volume with low speed agitation of fermentation bottle at least 20 minutes twice daily and incubated at room temperature. Characterization was limited to microscopic evaluation of the morphological features of protozoa that was stained with methylene blue formalin saline solution. Initial population of 2.61 x 10 4 cfu/ml at DO had significantly lowest at 0.62 x 104 cfu/ml during the 15 days hydrolysis. Evaluation of morphology for the types of protozoa at different durations showed the predominance of species types with different orientations of caudal spines, shapes of the macromolecules and size of the body, adoral ciliary zones closely related to the features of species types from genus Entodinium of the family Ophryoscolecidae. Evaluation of the hydrolysis condition showed that duration had significant effect on the pH (P>0.05). Sweet sorghum hydrolysis pH 7 at D0 had significantly declined to pH 5 at 15 days duration. The population of the protozoa in the rumen fluid hydrolysis was significantly affected by duration of the hydrolysis (P>0.05). Entodinium were isolated at all durations of the acidic hydrolysis of sweet sorghum bagasse using carabao rumen fluid. In conclusion, the diversity in composition of rumen protozoa is a justification of the novel carabao rumen fluid hydrolysis potential as pre-treatment in the conversion of lignocelluloses in sweet sorghum bagasse into soluble carbohydrates for bioethanol production. The information is vital for animal feed utilization and bioethanol production optimization.