Effects of supplemental tallow on rumen ciliated protozoa in feedlot cattle.
Ruminal samples were collected at slaughter from 98 steers consuming a high-grain diet and receiving either no fat, or 2, 4, 6, or 8% supplemental tallow. Tallow supplementation tended (P = 0.11) to increase average ciliated protozoan numbers, however, the occurrence of defaunated animals was higher in the 8% fat treatment than in the control group. Entodinium spp. were the only protozoans that survived in all treatments, and total numbers ranged up to 3.2 x 10(6)/g of ruminal contents. Although increasing tallow supplementation induced a defaunating effect in many animals, the response was unpredictable and protozoa occasionally proliferated irrespective of fat level.
Towne
G
G
Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan.
Nagaraja
T G
TG
Brandt
R T
RT
Gramlich
S M
SM
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000254:growth & development*; D005223:Fats; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012417:Rumen / Q000469:parasitology*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005223:Fats; C013698:tallow