Utilizing the Gastrointestinal Microbiota to Modulate Cattle Health through the Microbiome-Gut-Organ Axes

Abstract

The microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of ruminants have a mutualistic relationship with the host that influences the efficiency and health of the ruminants. The GIT microbiota interacts with the host immune system to influence not only the GIT, but other organs in the body as well. The objective of this review is to highlight the importance of the role the gastrointestinal microbiota plays in modulating the health of a host through communication with different organs in the body through the microbiome-gut-organ axes. Among other things, the GIT microbiota produces metabolites for the host and prevents the colonization of pathogens. In order to prevent dysbiosis of the GIT microbiota, gut microbial therapies can be utilized to re-introduce beneficial bacteria and regain homeostasis within the rumen environment and promote gastrointestinal health. Additionally, controlling GIT dysbiosis can aid the immune system in preventing disfunction in other organ systems in the body through the microbiome-gut-brain axis, the microbiome-gut-lung axis, the microbiome-gut-mammary axis, and the microbiome-gut-reproductive axis.

346 Feeding Hempseed Cake Alters the Bovine gut, Respiratory and Reproductive Microbiota

“…Therefore, we evaluated the impact of hempseed cake inclusion in the diet on not only the ruminal microbiota but also on the respiratory (nasopharyngeal), and reproductive (vaginal, and uterine) microbiota. The alterations observed here in these four microbial communities in response to hempseed cake feeding support the existence of interconnection among these microbiota, potentially through mechanisms involved in the microbiome-gut-respiratory and microbiome-gut-reproductive axes (Welch et al, 2022). As expected, the composition, diversity, and structure of the ruminal, nasopharyngeal, vaginal, and uterine microbiota were signi cantly different from each other due to the physiological and anatomical differences in the mucosal surfaces of these anatomical sites (Amat et al, 2021).…”

“…The microbiome-gut-lung axis may be a potential mechanism through which dietary inclusion of hempseed cake may in uence the respiratory microbiota (Enaud et al, 2020;Welch et al, 2022). It is also likely that changes in the composition of the rumen gas cap, and potentially the microbes associated with ruminal gas because of hempseed cake ingestion may have affected the respiratory tract microbiota given that about 70 -85% of the eructed gases from the rumen are inhaled (Dougherty and Cook, 1962).…”

“…short-chain fatty acids and immunomodulators) in the blood and/or peripheral blood mononuclear cells associated with speci c bacteria (Peña-Cearra et al, 2021). Consequently, this may in uence the microbial communities along the reproductive tract (Welch et al, 2022). Second, hempseed cake ingestion may have affected the production of reproductive hormones, which are known to shape the vaginal microbiota (Hallmaier-Wacker et al, 2019;Mallott et al, 2020).…”

“…Second, hempseed cake ingestion may have affected the production of reproductive hormones, which are known to shape the vaginal microbiota (Hallmaier-Wacker et al, 2019;Mallott et al, 2020). Third, similar to the respiratory microbiome, the microbiome-gut-reproductive axis may be associated with changes in the reproductive tract microbiome due to hempseed cake consumption (Welch et al, 2022). Finally, cannabinoid derivatives in hempseed cake may have altered the immune cell and cytokine pro les in the reproductive tract given the well-documented immunomodulatory properties of cannabinoids (Kaplan et al, 2008).…”

“…However, recent evidence suggests that gut microbiome-mediated health may rely on communication with different organs throughout the body (e.g. lung/reproductive/mammary) (Welch et al, 2022). It has also been suggested that the gut microbiome affects distant organs and host metabolic pathways through mediation of endocrine systems (Qi et al, 2021).…”