Diet Transition from High-Forage to High-Concentrate Alters Rumen Bacterial Community Composition, Epithelial Transcriptomes and Ruminal Fermentation Parameters in Dairy Cows

Abstract

Effects of changing diet on rumen fermentation parameters, bacterial community composition, and transcriptome profiles were determined in three rumen-cannulated Holstein Friesian cows using a 3 × 4 cross-over design. Treatments include HF-1 (first high-forage diet), HC-1 (first high-concentrate diet), HC-2 (succeeding high-concentrate diet), and HF-2 (second high-forage diet as a recovery period). Animal diets contained Klein grass and concentrate at ratios of 8:2, 2:8, 2:8, and 8:2 (two weeks each), respectively. Ammonia-nitrogen and individual and total volatile fatty acid concentrations were increased significantly during HC-1 and HC-2. Rumen species richness significantly increased for HF-1 and HF-2. Bacteroidetes were dominant for all treatments, while phylum Firmicutes significantly increased during the HC period. Prevotella, Erysipelothrix, and Galbibacter significantly differed between HF and HC diet periods. Ruminococcus abundance was lower during HF feeding and tended to increase during successive HC feeding periods. Prevotella ruminicola was the predominant species for all diets. The RNA sequence analysis revealed the keratin gene as differentially expressed during the HF diet, while carbonic-anhydrase I and S100 calcium-binding protein were expressed in the HC diet. Most of these genes were highly expressed for HC-1 and HC-2. These results suggested that ruminal bacterial community composition, transcriptome profile, and rumen fermentation characteristics were altered by the diet transitions in dairy cows.

The Effect of Yeast and Roughage Concentrate Ratio on Ruminal pH and Protozoal Population in Thai Native Beef Cattle

“…Ruminal pH was found to be steady between 6.3 and 6.6, and ruminal temperature was found to be between 38.8 and 39.3 °C. However, Ramos et al [ 36 ] discovered that diets high in concentrate typically resulted in a significant decrease in ruminal pH, a decreased digestion rate, and decreased cellulolytic bacteria activity. Ruminal pH and its daily fluctuations can be considered a major factor in the occurrence of SARA and the regulation of microbial activity.…”

“…The greater concentration of ruminal NH 3 -N in the high-concentrate diet was attributed to the dynamic equilibrium between NH 3 -N production and use by rumen bacteria. The presence of high levels of NH 3 -N in the rumen shows that animals may be receiving adequate accessible nitrogen content from dietary intake, most likely as a result of the high concentrate content of the cow diet [ 36 ]. However, the addition of LY significantly enhanced the NH 3 -N content ( p < 0.05), contrary to the findings of Li et al [ 33 ], who showed that the addition of S. cerevisiae had no effect on the NH 3 -N concentration in the rumen.…”

Enhanced Ruminal Fermentation Parameters and Altered Rumen Bacterial Community Composition by Formulated Rumen Buffer Agents Fed to Dairy Cows with a High-Concentrate Diet

“…This supports the results of the present study, considering the relative abundance of P. ruminicola during the high-concentrate diet period. Similarly, the high abundance of P. jejuni in CON may have been due to its ability to ferment glucose and its cell function as a saccharolytic bacteria [27,78]. Rumen microbes have a unique ability to convert carbohydrates to shortchain fatty acids at a rate that exceeds the absorptive, buffering, and outflow capacity of the rumen, which causes a sudden decrease in ruminal pH [6].…”

“…Each fluid sample was strained through four layers of surgical gauze and pooled in an amber bottle with an oxygen-free headspace, which was subsequently capped after collection. The collected samples were maintained at 39 • C and immediately transported to the laboratory [27]. For each treatment, 70 mL of rumen fluid was dispensed under a stream of CO 2 into a serum bottle containing 0.5 g of the treatment buffer and 2.5 g dry matter (DM) of ground corn grain, which served as the substrate [26].…”

Effects of Heated Drinking Water on the Growth Performance and Rumen Functionality of Fattening Charolaise Beef Cattle in Winter

“…The rumen and its health are the key to improving production efficiency in beef cattle farming [ 10 ]. The rumen is a complex microbial environment, hosting numerous strains of bacteria and microorganisms which coexist and perform at best only in specific and stable environmental conditions [ 11 ]. The main factors influencing the growth and activity of ruminal microbiota are pH (average values of 5.8–6), buffering capacity, osmotic pressure and redox potential.…”