Reticulo-ruminal motility in cattle (Bos indicus) and water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) fed a low quality roughage diet

Effects of wheat bran replacement with pomegranate seed pulp on rumen fermentation, gas production, methanogen and protozoa populations of camel and goat rumen using competitive PCR technique: An in vitro study

BACKGROUND

Microbial populations in the rumen play an essential role in the degradation of Cellulosic dietary components and in providing nutrients to the host animal.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to detect the effect of pomegranate seed pulp (PSP) on rumen fermentation, digestibility and methanogens and the protozoa population (by competitive polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) of the camel and goat rumen fluid.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PSP was added to the experimental treatments and replaced by wheat bran (0%, 5% and 10%). Rumen fluid was collected from three goats and two camels according to the similarity of sex, breed, origin and time and used for three gas production studies. DNA extraction was performed by the RBB + c method, the ImageJ programme calculated band intensities (target and competing DNA), and line gradients were plotted based on the number of copies and intensity.

RESULTS

Our result showed that diets did not significantly affect the methanogen and protozoa population. Animal species affected microbial populations so that both populations in camels were less than goats. The production of gas and volatile fatty acids was not affected by diets. These two parameters and NH3 concentration and methane production in goats were higher than in camel. The pH of digested dry matter and microbial protein in camels was higher than in goats.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, the competitive PCR technique is an effective method for enumerating rumen microbiota. This supplementation can be considered a strategy to achieve performance and environmental benefits.

Rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emission and nutrient utilization of crossbred Karan-Fries cattle (Bos taurus) and Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) consuming varied roughage concentrate ratio

Dietary mix and host species have both been shown to have a significant impact on rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emission and animal performance. The goal of this study was to see how the roughage concentrate ratio 70:30 (Low concentrate; LC) vs 40:60 (High concentrate; HC) and the host species crossbred cattle vs buffalo affected rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emissions and nutrient utilization. Dry matter intake (kg/d) and dry matter percent digestibility were considerably (p < 0.05) higher in the HC ration and buffalo compared to LC ration and crossbred cattle, respectively. Both dietary mix and host species had a substantial (p < 0.05) impact on intake of various nutrients, including organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF). Increased concentrate proportion in the ration improved nitrogen balance, resulting in increased average daily gain and considerably reduced methane (g/d) output (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 16S rRNA genes were sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) and subsequently annotated using the Centrifuge workflow to uncover ruminal bacterial diversity. Firmicutes was considerably (p < 0.01) greater in the LC diet, whereas, Bacteroidetes was higher in the HC ration. Genus Prevotella dominated all rumen samples, and buffalo fed LC ration had significantly (p < 0.01) higher Oscillospira abundance. At the species level, simple sugar-utilizing bacteria such as Prevotella spp. and Selenomonas ruminantium predominated in the crossbred cattle, but fibrolytic bacteria such as Oscillospira guilliermondii were statistically (p < 0.01) more abundant in the buffalo. Overall, dietary mix and host species have both been shown to have a significant impact on rumen microbial diversity, enteric methane emission and animal performance, however, host species remained a major driving force to change ruminal community composition as compared to roughage concentrate ratio under similar environmental conditions.

Comparison of ruminal digestibility of Origanum onites L. leaves in dairy buffalo and cows

This experiment evaluated the ruminal digestibility of Turkish oregano leaves in dairy buffalo and cows. Ruminally cannulated, multiparous Brown Swiss cows (n = 3) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis; n = 3) were used in the experiment. The ad libitum basal diet was balanced to NRC requirements for a dry, nonpregnant multiparous dairy cow (680 kg) and consuming 12.8 kg of DM/day. Air-dried, ground, weighed oregano leaves were inserted in the rumen of all animals before the morning feeding within heat-sealed nylon bags (4 replicates per treatment and time point). After incubation (4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 h), dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), aNDFom, and ADFom concentrations were determined and compared to initial leaf chemical composition. The means for in situ disappearance (ISD, %) of DM, aNDFom, and ADFom did not differ between the species, but ISD of CP was greater in buffalo than the cows (P = 0.05) after 72 h incubation. The lag time of kinetic degradation curves, the potentially degradable fraction (b), hourly degradation rate (c), and undegradable fraction were similar between species. The immediately degraded fraction (a) and effective digestibility (ED) of CP were greater in buffalo than the cows (P = 0.04), but the a fraction and ED of other nutrients showed no differences between the species. In conclusion, CP of oregano leaves are degraded more rapidly in the rumen of dairy buffalo than cows, primarily due to a large difference in the rapidly soluble CP fraction in the buffalo.

Addressing Global Ruminant Agricultural Challenges Through Understanding the Rumen Microbiome: Past, Present, and Future

The rumen is a complex ecosystem composed of anaerobic bacteria, protozoa, fungi, methanogenic archaea and phages. These microbes interact closely to breakdown plant material that cannot be digested by humans, whilst providing metabolic energy to the host and, in the case of archaea, producing methane. Consequently, ruminants produce meat and milk, which are rich in high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals, and therefore contribute to food security. As the world population is predicted to reach approximately 9.7 billion by 2050, an increase in ruminant production to satisfy global protein demand is necessary, despite limited land availability, and whilst ensuring environmental impact is minimized. Although challenging, these goals can be met, but depend on our understanding of the rumen microbiome. Attempts to manipulate the rumen microbiome to benefit global agricultural challenges have been ongoing for decades with limited success, mostly due to the lack of a detailed understanding of this microbiome and our limited ability to culture most of these microbes outside the rumen. The potential to manipulate the rumen microbiome and meet global livestock challenges through animal breeding and introduction of dietary interventions during early life have recently emerged as promising new technologies. Our inability to phenotype ruminants in a high-throughput manner has also hampered progress, although the recent increase in “omic” data may allow further development of mathematical models and rumen microbial gene biomarkers as proxies. Advances in computational tools, high-throughput sequencing technologies and cultivation-independent “omics” approaches continue to revolutionize our understanding of the rumen microbiome. This will ultimately provide the knowledge framework needed to solve current and future ruminant livestock challenges.

Development of a methodology to measure the effect of ergot alkaloids on forestomach motility using real-time wireless telemetry

The objectives of these experiments were to characterize rumen motility patterns of cattle fed once daily using a real-time wireless telemetry system, determine when to measure rumen motility with this system, and determine the effect of ruminal dosing of ergot alkaloids on rumen motility. Ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (n = 8) were fed a basal diet of alfalfa cubes once daily. Rumen motility was measured by monitoring real-time pressure changes within the rumen using wireless telemetry and pressure transducers. Experiment 1 consisted of three 24-h rumen pressure collections beginning immediately after feeding. Data were recorded, stored, and analyzed using iox2 software and the rhythmic analyzer. All motility variables differed (P < 0.01) between hours and thirds (8-h periods) of the day. There were no differences between days for most variables. The variance of the second 8-h period of the day was less than (P < 0.01) the first for area and less than the third for amplitude, frequency, duration, and area (P < 0.05). These data demonstrated that the second 8-h period of the day was the least variable for many measures of motility and would provide the best opportunity for testing differences in motility due to treatments. In Experiment 2, the steers (n = 8) were pair-fed the basal diet of Experiment 1 and dosed with endophyte-free (E−) or endophyte-infected (E+; 0 or 10 μg ergovaline + ergovalinine/kg BW; respectively) tall fescue seed before feeding for 15 d. Rumen motility was measured for 8 h beginning 8 h after feeding for the first 14 d of seed dosing. Blood samples were taken on d 1, 7, and 15, and rumen content samples were taken on d 15. Baseline (P = 0.06) and peak (P = 0.04) pressure were lower for E+ steers. Water intake tended (P = 0.10) to be less for E+ steers the first 8 h period after feeding. The E+ seed treatment at this dosage under thermoneutral conditions did not significantly affect rumen motility, ruminal fill, or dry matter of rumen contents.