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Stool and Ruminal Microbiome Components Associated With Methane Emission and Feed Efficiency in Nelore Beef Cattle
Bruno G N Andrade1,2, Flavia A Bressani1, Rafael R C Cuadrat3
1Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, Brazil.
Frontiers in Genetics
|June 3, 2022
Summary
Microbiome analysis in Nelore bulls reveals bacterial and archaeal ASVs linked to methane emission and feed efficiency. These microbial signatures, found in both rumen and stool, show potential as biomarkers for improving cattle farming sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Climate change mitigation requires reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock farming contributing significantly.
- Optimizing feed efficiency and reducing methane emissions in cattle are critical for sustainable agriculture.
- Understanding the gut microbiome's role in ruminant metabolism is key to developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of ruminal and stool microbiome components as biomarkers for methane emission and feed efficiency in Nelore bulls.
- To assess the impact of different dietary interventions (conventional vs. by-product-based) on the bovine microbiome.
- To identify specific microbial taxa associated with residual methane emission (RCH4) and residual feed intake (RFI).
Main Methods:
- Studied 52 Brazilian Nelore bulls under two distinct dietary treatments.
- Utilized amplicon sequencing to characterize ruminal and stool microbiomes, identifying 5,693 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs).
- Employed differential abundance analysis (ANCOM) and association analysis (Maaslin2) to link microbial composition with host phenotypes.
Main Results:
- Dietary interventions significantly altered the abundance and richness of ruminal and stool microbial populations, particularly bacteria and archaea.
- Identified 30 bacterial and 15 archaeal ASVs as differentially abundant between dietary groups.
- Bacterial ASVs in both ruminal and stool samples were significantly associated with RCH4 and RFI variations, with novel associations found for specific gut taxa.
Conclusions:
- Feed composition, specifically the inclusion of industrial by-products, influences the gut microbiome diversity in Nelore cattle.
- Microbial ASVs in both the rumen and feces are associated with methane emission and feed efficiency.
- The identified microbial signatures, including previously unreported stool taxa, hold promise as biomarkers for improving methane emission and feed efficiency in cattle, potentially impacting host health.
