The Digestion of Rumen Microorganisms by the Host Animals

Abstract

The contents of various parts of the digestive tract of cattle were examined for the presence of usual varieties of rumen microfauna and 4 types of morphologically identifiable microflora which characteristically were present in their rumens. The 4 microfloras were larger coccoids, large cigar-shaped rods, small rods in flat rectangular groups, and large thick square-ended rods. The disappearance of usual rumen portozoa and the large cigar-shaped rods from abomasal and intestinal contents, as reported by others, was confirmed in this study. Some of the larger coccoids were observed in all parts of the digestive tract. The small rods and the large thick rods appeared to gradually disintegrate as they reached posterior parts of the tract. The ultimate fate of rumen microorganisms thus appears to vary between the extremes of complete destruction in the abomasum to passage entirely through the tract.