Abstract
Protozoa species were identified in rumen contents of four domestic sheep (Ovis aries) from South Africa. All animals were fed a forage diet which consisted of 50% lucerne and 50% teff hay. Ten new host records were identified, bringing the total number of species and forms observed in sheep in South Africa to 30. The occurrence and geographic distribution of ciliate protozoa in both domestic and wild sheep from around the world are summarised. It was found that 15 genera and 131 species occur in domestic sheep globally.
Highlights
Other than several early reports from South Africa on rumen ciliate protozoa in domestic sheep (Fantham 1920, 1921, 1926; Van der Wath & Myburgh 1941), no additional research in this respect has been published
10 were identified in South Africa for the first time (Table 1). This brings the total number of species and forms reported from sheep in South Africa to 30
Entodinium nanellum would have been included in this group, but had been observed previously
Summary
Other than several early reports from South Africa on rumen ciliate protozoa in domestic sheep (Fantham 1920, 1921, 1926; Van der Wath & Myburgh 1941), no additional research in this respect has been published. These previous studies identified a total of only 12 species and forms. Studies from other areas of Africa are limited Selim et al [1996] for Egypt and Selim et al [1999] for Libya). To date only 17 species have been observed in domestic sheep across Africa
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