What is Rumen protozoa?

First described in 1843, Rumen protozoa with their striking appearance were assumed to be important for the welfare of their host. However, despite contributing up to 50% of the bio-mass in the rumen, the role of protozoa in rumen microbial ecosystem remains unclear. read more

Rumen protozoa multiply very slowly in the rumen --- over 15-24 hours – as opposed to the bacteria that may take as little as 13 minutes to multiply. For this reason, the rumen protozoa hide out in the slower moving fiber mat of the rumen so that they aren’t washed out before they have a chance to multiply. read more

The rumen is the fist of four stomachs in bovines - grassy and fibrous foods consumed by cows is stored in the rumen and then regurgitated into the mouth of bovines so that they can chew it leisurely and break down the fibre to improve digestion. read more

Compared to bacteria, rumen protozoa contain a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids and this is thought to be an important source of lipids for the animal hosts. Up to 27% of the lipids in the rumen digesta is thought to be from holotrich protists (41). read more