Introduction
Ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats or deer have enlarged digestive compartments for the pre-gastric fermentation of feedstuffs. This anerobic fermentation of carbohydrates in the reticulorumen is performed by a symbiotic microflora which includes a wide range of bacteria, protozoa and fungi.
Bacteria are very small (<1 to 5 microns) and can only be seen adequately by electron microscopy. Fungi and protozoa are much larger (12 to 200 microns or even larger) and can be seen with a light microsope at x 400 magnification.