Bacteria

• Rumen bacteria account for 10¹⁰/ml of rumen liquid; over 200 species have beenidentified in the rumen
• Make up to 50% of the total microbial biomass
• Important source of microbial protein, which supplies the ruminant with 75-80% of its metabolizable protein
• Produces enzymes that digest fiber in the forage
• Specialized functions include degrading or utilizing cellulose, hemicellulose starch, sugars, proteins, lipids and producing CH4
• Rumen bacteria life from 20 minutes to 3 hours
• Gases such as methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen are byproducts of fermentation
  
  

Protozoa

Rumen fungi