Rumen ciliate protozoa and fibre utilization in sheep and goats

Adult rumen-fistulated sheep and goats (four of each) were used to study comparative nutrient utilization and diurnal variation of rumen ciliate protozoa under maintenance level of feeding. The animals were control-fed on roughage ( Cenchrus ciliaris ) and concentrate mixture in the ratio of 65 : 35 as per their maintenance requirement. Dry-matter intake was higher ( P 0.75 /day) than in goats (57.1 g/kgW 0.75 /day), whereas digestibility of OM, NDF and ADF was better in goats than in sheep. The rumen protozoa of sheep and goats were a B -type population with numbers varying between 0.31–0.45×10 6 cells/ml rumen liquor. The total protozoa, holotrichs, spirotrichs, Isotricha , Dasytricha , small and large spirotrichs were higher ( P Isotricha and large spirotrichs, although numerically fewer in number, collectively contributed 91 and 89% of protozoal cell mass in the rumen of sheep and goats, respectively. It is concluded from the study that under control feeding, dry-matter intake was lower while fibre digestibility was higher in goats compared to sheep, possibly due to higher number of ciliate protozoa as well as holotrichs and spirotrichs in their rumen medium.