Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2014-07-31
Page range: 138–144
Abstract views: 30
PDF downloaded: 1

Rumen ciliates in the African (Cape) buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) living in the vicinity of the Orpen Gate entrance into Kruger National Park, South Africa

Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Universiity of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa.
Department of Animal Sciences, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691 U.S.A.
State Veterinarian Office, Orpen road 1350, Orpen, South Africa.
African buffalo ciliate protozoa rumen South Africa Syncerus caffer

Abstract

Samples of rumen contents were obtained from 10 African (Cape) buffalo living in the vicinity of the Orpen Gate entrance into Kruger National Park in South Africa. Total number of ciliate protozoa per animal ranged from 3.15 to 23.25 x 103. Forty three different species and forms were observed, of which 35 are a new host record. The total number of species and forms per animal varied from 10 to 17. Eudiplodinium maggii occurred in all 10 animals, followed by Dasytricha ruminantium in nine animals. Diplodinium posterovesiculatum, Eudiplodinium magnodentatum and Ostracodinium mammosum were present in seven animals with all other species and forms occurring in five or less animals.