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The Effect of Some Factors on the Cell Volume of Rumen Ciliates

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 11, pages 565–570 (1970)Cite this article

Summary

The effect of diluting rumen samples with water and that of formol fixation, on the volume of ophryoscolecid rumen ciliates, was studied. The dilution with water caused within 2 hrs. the ciliates to swell to an average of 60 % (15.4–107.3). During 15 days of formol fixation, the shrinkage was on an average 10 % (0.0–19.8) of the original volume.

When the thickness of the cells was conceived equal to the width, volumes 35–77 % too large were obtained.

The influence of these sources of error on calculations of rumen fauna volumes is discussed.

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  1. Department of Anatomy and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland

    Bengt Westerling

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  1. Bengt Westerling
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Westerling, B. The Effect of Some Factors on the Cell Volume of Rumen Ciliates. Acta Vet Scand 11, 565–570 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547954

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547954

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147