Ovine ill-thrift in Nova Scotia. 4. The survival at low oxygen partial pressure of fungi isolated from the contents of the ovine rumen.

Abstract

Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor rouxii, and Sporormia minima have been isolated from the rumen contents of sheep grazing permanent pasture at Nappan, Nova Scotia. To determine the ability of these fungi to survive and grow at the low oxygen partial pressure present in the rumen, a method of determination of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide has been developed. The lowest partial pressures of oxygen [Formula: see text] and nitrogen that could be detected were 0.0005 cm Hg and the precision of the determination was ±0.001 cm Hg. Carbon dioxide was determined with slightly less precision than achieved for oxygen and nitrogen. Using this method, respiration was detected in cultures of all the fungi named at [Formula: see text] Hg and growth was observed at [Formula: see text] Hg in the case of M. rouxii. It is concluded that all these fungi are capable of survival in the ovine rumen.