ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A SPIROCHETE FROM BOVINE RUMEN

Bovine rumen contains large number of different species of bacteria, p rotozoa, fungi, bacteriophages and spirochetes. Although the role of r um;en bacteria, protozoa and flagellates has been well established, th e function of spirochetes in rumen digestion require indepth studies. However it has been reported that the spirochetes are responsible for the fermentation of large number of polymers present in the plant mate rials (Paster and Canale-parola, 1982) and two species are reported to be present in bovine rumen (Paster and Canale - parola, 1985). This p aper describes isolation and characterization of s spirochete from bov ine rumen.