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Protozoan population and fermentation parameters of rumen contents of sheep from heavy metal contaminated area
Author(s) -
VÁRADYOVÁ Z.,
MIHALIKOVÁ K.,
JAVORSKY P.,
KISIDAYOVÁ S.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2005.05202003_5_4.x
Subject(s) - rumen , cadmium , population , fermentation , zoology , biology , arsenic , hay , contamination , environmental chemistry , food science , chemistry , ecology , demography , organic chemistry , sociology
The rumen contents from Slovak Merino sheep (12 months of age) were used for in vitro study on the influence of area contaminated by heavy metals on rumen fermentation and protozoan activity. Sheep were browsing in the contaminated area of Kal'ava village (Slovakia) and were exposed to 1‐year intake of heavy metals. The area of Kal'ava is contaminated by atmospheric pollution from the non‐ferrous metal works at Krompachy (Slovakia). Based on the levels of mercury (4.8 mg'kg), copper (232.9 mg/kg), cadmium (1.2 mg/kg), lead (92.5 mg/kg) and arsenic (74.6 mg/ 1 ) the soil was categorized as profusely contaminated. Grass contamination was below the toxic limits. In the tested materials, copper was present at the highest levels followed by lead and arsenic. Meadow hay was used as a tested substrate of fermentation activity; it was incubated with buffered rumen fluid for 24 h. The significantly decreased values of fermentation parameters (total gas, methane, total VFA, acetate) were associated with a reduced total concentration of protozoans. Significant decrease was detected in the total rumen ciliate population and population of c . No significant differences were observed in the concentration of Dasytricha ruminantium and Ophryoscolex c. tricoronatus . The study was supported by funds from Grant Agency for Science of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (2/3058/23, 2/3064/23) and funds from APVT grant (51012602).