Bloat in cattle

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Summary: In spring and autumn, but not so markedly in high summer, the ciliate Epidinium ecaudatum was found to be the predominant oligotrich in the rumens of two cows fed exclusively on red clover. A method has been devised whereby massive suspensions of this ciliate, in the actively motile state and virtually free from holotrich ciliates and bacteria, can be separated from rumen contents in vitro in 1 day. This involves the use of a buffered medium, simulating rumen liquid, which contains 0.5% mannose to kill the holotrichs and penicillin and/or neomycin ( ca. 0.003%) to kill bacteria. By judicious feeding with a preparation of red‐clover starch grains containing a little green plant material, such a culture of E. ecaudatum has been kept alive in vitro for 8 days in presence of a high concentration of penicillin during which time cell division was observed to take place. A high partial pressure of carbon dioxide gas is essential for, continued life and activity of Epidinium .

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