Metabolomics comparison of rumen fluid and milk in dairy cattle using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The metabolites that constitute the rumen fluid and milk in dairy cattle were analyzed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and compared with the results obtain for other dairy cattle herds worldwide. The aim was to provide basic dataset for facilitating research on metabolites in rumen fluid and milk.

Six dairy cattle were used in this study. Rumen fluid was collected using a stomach tube, and milk was collected using a pipeline milking system. The metabolites were determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, and the obtained data were statistically analyzed by principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, variable importance in projection scores, and metabolic pathway data using Metaboanalyst 4.0.

The total numbers of metabolites in rumen fluid and milk were measured to be 186 and 184, and quantified as 72 and 109, respectively. Organic acid and carbohydrate metabolites exhibited the highest concentrations in rumen fluid and milk, respectively. Some metabolites that have been associated with metabolic diseases (acidosis and ketosis) in cows were identified in rumen fluid, and metabolites associated with ketosis, somatic cell production, and coagulation properties were identified in milk.

The metabolites measured in rumen fluid and milk could potentially be used to detect metabolic diseases and evaluate milk quality. The results could also be useful for metabolomic research on the biofluids of ruminants in Korea, while facilitating their metabolic research.