Nutritive defaunation of the rumen in steers with subsequent refaunation using a cryopreserved monoculture ofEntodinium caudatum

Abstract

This study evaluated a technique for the nutritive defaunation of the rumen of cattle with subsequent single species refaunation using a cryopreserved monoculture of Entodinium caudatum (family Ophryoscolecidae). Four mature steers were nutritionally defaunated in two periods using two steers in each period. A diet containing (dry matter basis) 68% ground wheat grain, 7% wheat bran, 8% soybean oil and 17% wheat straw was used to decrease the pH of ruminal contents and to eliminate rumen ciliate protozoa. Protozoa-free rumens were observed on day 8 and 9 in the first and second period, respectively, after the start of defaunation. A monoculture of E. caudatum (34/89/94) was transported from the Institute of Animal Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences in Kosice to the University of Kiel (Germany) in liquid nitrogen in October 1996. The inoculation was accomplished on day 15 in the second period by applying 30 ml culture medium with a monoculture of E. caudatum (34/89/94; average concentration of protozoal cells 2 650/ml) into the rumen of a defaunated steer via the ruminal fistula. The mono-faunated steer was successfully inoculated with an average concentration of E. caudatum cells at 4.1 x 10(3)/ml (SD = 0.2) on day 2 after the inoculation.