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Kaur H, Kaur G, Gupta T, Mittal D, Ali SA. Integrating Omics Technologies for a Comprehensive Understanding of the Microbiome and Its Impact on Cattle Production. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1200. [PMID: 37759599 PMCID: PMC10525894 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Ruminant production holds a pivotal position within the global animal production and agricultural sectors. As population growth escalates, posing environmental challenges, a heightened emphasis is directed toward refining ruminant production systems. Recent investigations underscore the connection between the composition and functionality of the rumen microbiome and economically advantageous traits in cattle. Consequently, the development of innovative strategies to enhance cattle feed efficiency, while curbing environmental and financial burdens, becomes imperative. The advent of omics technologies has yielded fresh insights into metabolic health fluctuations in dairy cattle, consequently enhancing nutritional management practices. The pivotal role of the rumen microbiome in augmenting feeding efficiency by transforming low-quality feedstuffs into energy substrates for the host is underscored. This microbial community assumes focal importance within gut microbiome studies, contributing indispensably to plant fiber digestion, as well as influencing production and health variability in ruminants. Instances of compromised animal welfare can substantially modulate the microbiological composition of the rumen, thereby influencing production rates. A comprehensive global approach that targets both cattle and their rumen microbiota is paramount for enhancing feed efficiency and optimizing rumen fermentation processes. This review article underscores the factors that contribute to the establishment or restoration of the rumen microbiome post perturbations and the intricacies of host-microbiome interactions. We accentuate the elements responsible for responsible host-microbiome interactions and practical applications in the domains of animal health and production. Moreover, meticulous scrutiny of the microbiome and its consequential effects on cattle production systems greatly contributes to forging more sustainable and resilient food production systems, thereby mitigating the adverse environmental impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harpreet Kaur
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI), Karnal 132001, India
| | - Gurjeet Kaur
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark
| | - Taruna Gupta
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI), Karnal 132001, India
| | - Deepti Mittal
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI), Karnal 132001, India
| | - Syed Azmal Ali
- Cell Biology and Proteomics Lab, Animal Biotechnology Center, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI), Karnal 132001, India
- Division Proteomics of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Sun Y, Hou T, Yu Q, Zhang C, Zhang Y, Xu L. Mixed oats and alfalfa improved the antioxidant activity of mutton and the performance of goats by affecting intestinal microbiota. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1056315. [PMID: 36699611 PMCID: PMC9869024 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1056315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Oat hay and alfalfa hay are important roughage resources in livestock production. However, the effect of the mixture of oat hay and alfalfa hay on the meat quality of Albas goats is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of feeding different proportions of oat hay and alfalfa hay on the growth performance and meat quality of Albas goats. Therefore, 32 goats were fed for 70 days and randomly divided into four treatment groups on the principle of similar weight: whole oat group (OAT), oat alfalfa ratio 3:7 group (OA73), oat alfalfa ratio 7:3 group (OA37) and whole alfalfa group (Alfalfa), with eight goats in each group. Daily feed intake records, feces, feed samples, and rumen fluid collection were made throughout the trial. The goats were weighed on the last day of the trial, and four goats per group were randomly selected for slaughter. Cecum contents, meat samples, and hot carcass weight were collected, and data were recorded. Furthermore, the relationship between the rumen and cecal microbes on performance and meat quality was clarified by analyzing the rumen and hindgut microbiomes. The results showed that feeding alfalfa could significantly reduce the daily weight gain of fattening goats. Compared with the highest group (OA37), the daily weight gain decreased by 19.21%. Although there was no significant change in feed intake in the four treatments, the feed conversion rate of the alfalfa group significantly decreased by 30.24-36.47% compared to the other groups. However, with the increased alfalfa content, MDA decreased significantly, T-AOC was up-regulated, and the antioxidant activity of the fattened goat meat fed with the high alfalfa group was significantly higher than that of the low alfalfa group. Notably, the abundance of Bacteroidales_unclassified and Clostridium were strongly correlated with T-AOC and MDA. Therefore, increasing the proportion of alfalfa in the diet can affect the antioxidant activity of goat meat by improving the gut microbiota, while an oat-hay mixture can improve the growth performance of livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Tingyi Hou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Qingyuan Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Chengrui Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yonggen Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Lijun Xu
- Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Lijun Xu,
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Qin W, Li S, Wu N, Wen Z, Xie J, Ma H, Zhang S. Main Factors Influencing the Gut Microbiota of Datong Yaks in Mixed Group. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141777. [PMID: 35883324 PMCID: PMC9312300 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This study examined the differences and similarities in gut microbial diversity and ecological assembly processes of Datong yaks, including domestic males and females and wild males, which were fed together on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in a mixed group. The results revealed that mixed grouping could influence the gut microbiota of these three groups of yaks and improve the gut microbial diversity of domestic females. The findings of this study can help to understand the effects of mixed grouping on the gut microbiota of livestock on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and improve the production of Datong yaks. Abstract The Datong yak (Bos grunniens) is the first artificial breed of yaks in the world and has played an important role in the improvement of domestic yak quality on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Datong yak breeding farm in the Qinghai province of China is the main place for the breeding and feeding of Datong yaks. It hosts domestic Datong yaks and wild male yaks, mainly in mixed groups. Different managements have different effects on livestock. The gut microbiota is closely related to the health and immunity of Datong yaks, and mixed grouping can affect the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota of Datong yaks. To reveal the effects of mixed grouping on the gut microbiota of Datong yaks and wild yaks and identify the main dominant factors, we compared the gut microbial diversities of domestic males and females and wild males based on 16S rRNA V3–V4 regions using fresh fecal samples. The data showed significant differences in the gut microbial diversity of these three groups, and the α-diversity was the highest in wild males. Different factors influence the gut microbiota, and the main influencing factors were different in different groups, including sex differences, host genetics, and physical interactions. We also compared ecological assembly processes in the three groups. The results showed that mixed grouping contributed to the improvement of gut microbial diversity in domestic females. Our study provides effective and feasible suggestions for the feeding and management of the Datong yaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China;
| | - Shuang Li
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810001, China;
| | - Nan Wu
- College of Ecological and Environmental Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (N.W.); (Z.W.)
| | - Zhouxuan Wen
- College of Ecological and Environmental Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (N.W.); (Z.W.)
| | - Jiuxiang Xie
- College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China;
| | - Hongyi Ma
- Forestry and Grassland Comprehensive Service Center of Yushu Prefecture, Yushu 815000, China;
| | - Shoudong Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
- Global Flyway Ecology, Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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Qin W, Song P, Zhang S. Seasonal and Soil Microbiota Effects on the Adaptive Strategies of Wild Goitered Gazelles Based on the Gut Microbiota. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:918090. [PMID: 35859737 PMCID: PMC9289685 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.918090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal variation in extreme environments is a threat to endangered species. The gut microbiota is important in the adaptive strategies of wild herbivores, and herbivores will contact the soil microbiota when they are feeding. However, there are no studies about the effects of soil microbiota on the gut microbiota of wild herbivores. Understanding the seasonal adaptive strategies of wild herbivores based on their gut microbiota and the effects of soil microbiota on the herbivorous gut microbiota is indispensable for making optimal conservation recommendations. To address those issues, we compared the diversity and functions of gut microbiota in goitered gazelles between winter and summer with a non-invasive fecal sampling method from the Qaidam Basin based on 16S rRNA V3–V4 regions. The data showed that seasonal variations caused the significant changes in gut microbiota at α-and β-diversity levels. The main gut microbial function was “Metabolism.” It showed significant seasonal changes. The goitered gazelles adapted to the seasonal changes by increasing the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Christensenellaceae, Bacteroides and the function about “Metabolism” in the winter to improve the adaptability. We also compared the effects of soil microbiota on the gut microbiota between winter and summer, covering source tracking analysis and the seasonal differences in ecological assembly processes. The contribution of soil microbiota on the gut microbiota of goitered gazelles was 5.3095% and 15.6347% in winter and summer, respectively, which was greater than on species of animals living underground. Seasonal variation also influenced the ecological processes of microbiota both in the gut and soil. Due to the differences in environments, the ecological processes between fecal microbiota and soil microbiota showed significant differences, and they were dominated by stochastic processes and deterministic processes, respectively. The soil microbiota has contributed to the gut microbiota, but not a decisive factor. Our research laid the foundation on the seasonal and soil microbiota effects on the adaptive strategies of goitered gazelles, and is the first study to explain the soil microbiota influence on the gut microbiota of wild herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Pengfei Song
- Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
| | - Shoudong Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Rudi Drent Chair in Global Flyway Ecology, Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Shoudong Zhang,
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Abdelsattar MM, Vargas-Bello-Pérez E, Zhuang Y, Fu Y, Zhang N. Effects of Age and Dietary Factors on the Blood Beta-Hydroxybutyric Acid, Metabolites, Immunoglobulins, and Hormones of Goats. Front Vet Sci 2022; 8:793427. [PMID: 35224072 PMCID: PMC8863867 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.793427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The study was aimed to examine the effects of age and dietary beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) on blood BHBA and blood health indicators in goat kids. Thirty male goats of five ages (1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months old) were selected for blood sampling to determine the influence of age. Another 64 goat kids (half males and half females) were weaned at 1 month old and fed with starter diets with control, low, medium, and high BHBA doses (0, 3, 6, and 9 g/animal/day, respectively). Six goats per treatment were selected for blood analysis at 2 and 3 months of age. There were significant effects (p < 0.01) of ages on the blood parameters of goat kids. The 6- and 12-month-old goats showed significantly lower blood total protein, globulin, BHBA, IgA, and IgM concentrations than did young goats, while they had a higher albumin-to-globulin ratio than young goats. The blood glucose decreased (p < 0.01) and IgG increased over time (p < 0.01). In blood, growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were lower (p < 0.01) at 1- and 3-month-old goats than 12-month-old goats. The high dietary BHBA improved (p < 0.05) the ratio of albumin to globulin of 2-month-old kids compared with control. The blood GH and IGF-I were lower (p < 0.01) in the medium BHBA dose at 2 months of age than control. These results suggested that age greatly impacted blood composition, especially around weaning, and dietary BHBA showed beneficial regulating effects on blood total protein level in young goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud M. Abdelsattar
- Institute of Feed Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
- Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Einar Vargas-Bello-Pérez
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Yimin Zhuang
- Institute of Feed Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Yuze Fu
- Institute of Feed Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
| | - Naifeng Zhang
- Institute of Feed Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, China
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Optimizing the growth and immune system of dairy calves by subdividing the pre-weaning period and providing different milk volumes for each stage. ANIMAL NUTRITION 2021; 7:1296-1302. [PMID: 34786502 PMCID: PMC8567321 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In systematically considering the advantages and disadvantages of complementarity in high or low milk feeding, novel milk feeding schemes involving altering the volume of supplied milk in different stages of the pre-weaning period but maintaining the total milk feeding volume were tested. Twenty-seven newborn male Holstein calves were selected and randomly assigned to 3 treatments. Calves in the control (CON) group were fed 7 L of milk daily from 4 to 66 d of age. Calves in the low-high (LH) group were fed 6 L of milk daily at the beginning, and then the daily feeding volume was later increased to 7 to 8 L of milk, which served as the early-period low-volume feeding group. The calves in the high-low (HL) group were fed 7 to 8 L daily at the beginning, and then the daily feeding volume was decreased to 6 L of milk, which served as the early-period high-volume feeding group. Then all calves were fed 3 L of milk daily from 67 to 70 d of age, weaned at 70 d of age, and then fed starter feed to 100 d of age. All calves had access to the starter feed from 15 to 100 d of age. The diarrheal condition of calves was recorded daily and the growth performance including the starter feed intake and body weight of calves was recorded at 70 and 100 d of age. Then, five 100-d-old calves from each treatment were sampled for measurement of plasma indices, ruminal morphology, and volatile fatty acids. When compared with the CON and LH groups, calves in the HL group exhibited a significantly increased body weight and lower diarrhoeal rate. When compared with the CON group, calves in the HL group exhibited a significantly increased average daily feed intake, ruminal epithelium papillae length, total volatile fatty acids, and percentages of propionate and butyrate. Moreover, the significantly increased plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) content and a trend of decreased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) content (P = 0.083) were also identified in the HL group when compared with the CON group. Overall, the early-period high-volume feeding for calves produced greater body weight gain and a lower incidence of diarrhea.
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Arshad MA, Hassan FU, Rehman MS, Huws SA, Cheng Y, Din AU. Gut microbiome colonization and development in neonatal ruminants: Strategies, prospects, and opportunities. ANIMAL NUTRITION (ZHONGGUO XU MU SHOU YI XUE HUI) 2021; 7:883-895. [PMID: 34632119 PMCID: PMC8484983 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Colonization and development of the gut microbiome is a crucial consideration for optimizing the health and performance of livestock animals. This is mainly attributed to the fact that dietary and management practices greatly influence the gut microbiota, subsequently leading to changes in nutrient utilization and immune response. A favorable microbiome can be implanted through dietary or management interventions of livestock animals, especially during early life. In this review, we explore all the possible factors (for example gestation, colostrum, and milk feeding, drinking water, starter feed, inoculation from healthy animals, prebiotics/probiotics, weaning time, essential oil and transgenesis), which can influence rumen microbiome colonization and development. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of potential strategies used to manipulate gut development and microbial colonization to improve the production and health of newborn calves at an early age when they are most susceptible to enteric disease. Moreover, we provide insights into possible interventions and their potential effects on rumen development and microbiota establishment. Prospects of latest techniques like transgenesis and host genetics have also been discussed regarding their potential role in modulation of rumen microbiome and subsequent effects on gut development and performance in neonatal ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad A Arshad
- Institute of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Faiz-Ul Hassan
- Institute of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
- Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Guangxi Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, 530001, China
| | - Muhammad S Rehman
- Institute of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Sharon A Huws
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT9 5DL, GB-NIR, UK
| | - Yanfen Cheng
- Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, National Center for International Research on Animal Gut Nutrition, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ahmad U Din
- Drug Discovery Research Center, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
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Li A, Yang Y, Qin S, Lv S, Jin T, Li K, Han Z, Li Y. Microbiome analysis reveals gut microbiota alteration of early-weaned Yimeng black goats with the effect of milk replacer and age. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:78. [PMID: 33789672 PMCID: PMC8010993 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01568-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Colonization of intestinal microbiota in ruminant during the early life is important to host health, metabolism and immunity. Accumulating evidence revealed the ameliorative effect of milk replacer administration in the gut microbial development of early-weaned ruminants. Yimeng black goats (YBGs) inhabiting Shandong, China show a complex intestinal microbial ecosystem, but studies of their gut microbiota are still insufficient to report. Here, this study was performed to investigate how the gut microbiota develops in weaned YBGs with the effect of age and milk replacer. Results Results indicated that both age and milk replacer were important factors to change the gut microbiota of YBGs. Although the alpha diversity of gut microbiota did not change with the age of YBGs, the taxonomic compositions significantly changed. The relative abundance of some beneficial bacteria such as Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium, Eubacterium and Barnesiella significantly decreased and subsequently increase with age, which contributes to maintain the stability of intestinal environment and realize the diversity of intestinal functions. The relative abundance of Porphyromonas, Brevundimonas, Flavobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Propionibacterium, Acinetobacter, Enterococcus and Clostridium belong to pathogenic bacteria in milk replacer-treated YBGs was significantly decreased. Additionally, some beneficial bacteria such as Ruminococcus, Ruminococcaceae, Christensenellaceae and Ruminiclostridium also display a trend of decreasing first followed by gradually increasing. Conclusions This study first revealed the gut bacterial community alterations in YBGs with the effect of age and milk replacer. This study also characterized the gut microbial distribution in YBGs with different ages and provided better insight into microbial population structure and diversity of YBGs. Moreover, milk replacer may serve as a good applicant for improving gut microbial development in early-weaned YBGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoyun Li
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi, 276012, China
| | - Songkang Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Shenjin Lv
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Taihua Jin
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China
| | - Kun Li
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Zhaoqing Han
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China.
| | - Yongzhu Li
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, China.
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Wu SR, Chen XD, Li JL, Yang YT, Cui ZH, Yao JH. Effect of alfalfa hay and starter feed supplementation on caecal microbiota and fermentation, growth, and health of yak calves. Animal 2021; 15:100019. [PMID: 33610512 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2020.100019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The caecum is the primary site where microbial fermentation and acidosis occurred. The supplementation of starter feed and alfalfa hay has the potential to influence caecal microbiota and then affect caecal fermentation. This study aims to investigate the effect of starter feed and alfalfa hay supplementation on caecal microbiota, immune homeostasis, and growth of preweaning yaks. Twenty 30-day-old male yak calves were randomly assigned to four groups, which separately fed with milk replacer (CON group), milk replacer with alfalfa hay (A group), milk replacer with starter feed (S group), and milk replacer with starter feed plus alfalfa hay (SA group) throughout the trial. Growth performance and plasma physiological and biochemical indicators were measured every 30 days. Calves were sacrificed at 120 days of age. The caecal contents were collected for measuring pH and contents of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and for characterizing caecal microbiota. The results indicated that individual or simultaneous supplementation with alfalfa hay and starter feed all significantly increased the BW, body height, body length, and chest girth of yak calves. However, supplementation with starter feed significantly increased plasma cortisol, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ concentrations and the ratio of aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase of yak calves when compared with the control and alfalfa hay feeding groups, while the co-supplementation of starter feed and alfalfa hay could significantly decrease these inflammation-related indices when compared with the starter feeding group. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that starter feed and alfalfa hay separately stimulated the proliferation of starch-decomposing and cellulose- or hemicellulose-decomposing bacteria. This also significantly increased the levels of acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, isobutyrate, and isovalerate in the caecal contents. Furthermore, compared with the S and CON groups, the significantly increased genera of Desulfobulbus, Olsenella, Pseudoflavonifractor, and Stomatobaculum in the SA and A groups were beneficial to the immune homeostasis, and the significantly decreased Blautia, Clostridium IV, Bacteroides, Eubacterium, Clostridium XVIII, and Mogibacterium in the SA and A groups were related to the reduced caecal lactate and LPS contents, the decreased inflammatory reaction, and the improved healthy hepatic condition of yak calves. In conclusion, milk replacer supplemented with alfalfa hay and starter feed is recommended during preweaning to improve yak calf health and growth because this regimen promotes the growth and maintains the immune homeostasis of yak calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - X D Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - J L Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Y T Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Z H Cui
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Qinghai Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - J H Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
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