%0 Journal Article %A Boyne, A. W. %A Eadie, J. Margaret %A Raitt, Kathleen %T The Development and Testing of a Method of Counting Rumen Ciliate Protozoa %D 1957 %J Microbiology, %V 17 %N 2 %P 414-423 %@ 1465-2080 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-17-2-414 %I Microbiology Society, %X SUMMARY: The limitations of methods previously used for counting rumen ciliates, and the value of developing a method of known accuracy, are discussed. Two counting-chambers, one based on the Sedgwick-Rafter cell, the other on the MacMaster eelworm-counting cell, were constructed and tested. A MacMaster-type cell was adopted. The preparations of suitable suspensions for counting organisms from washed suspensions and from rumen contents are described. The counting technique adopted was found to be reliable; its accuracy depends upon the number of organisms counted. In one sheep on a constant diet, day-to-day differences in rumen ciliate population were far greater than the differences found throughout the rumen at any one time, or the variations due to technique. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-17-2-414