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Published on: September 7, 2015
Relationship between the rumen microbiome and liver transcriptome in beef cattle divergent for feed efficiency
Kate Keogh1,2, David A Kenny3, Pamela A Alexandre4
1Animal and Bioscience Research Department, Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland. kate.a.keogh@teagasc.ie.
Improving beef cattle feed efficiency (RFI) involves understanding the rumen microbiome and liver transcriptome. This study reveals key microbial and genetic links, aiding in selecting more efficient cattle and reducing production costs.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Genomics
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Feed costs significantly impact beef production profitability.
- Improving feed efficiency in cattle can reduce costs and enhance environmental sustainability.
- The rumen microbiome and liver transcriptome are influenced by feed efficiency but their interactions are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between the rumen microbiome and liver transcriptome in cattle with divergent residual feed intake (RFI).
- To compare breed types (Charolais and Holstein-Friesian) under different dietary conditions (grass and concentrate).
- To analyze gene co-expression and microbe co-abundance networks in relation to feed efficiency traits.
Main Methods:
- Gene co-expression network analysis of liver transcriptome data.
- Microbe co-abundance network analysis of rumen microbiome data.
- Inclusion of traits like RFI, dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and volatile fatty acids in network analysis.
Main Results:
- Dry matter intake (DMI) showed the most connections, followed by RFI, and then ADG.
- Hepatic genes involved in lipid metabolism correlated with RFI and DMI; immune response genes correlated with DMI.
- The Succiniclasticum genus was negatively linked to RFI and ADG, and both Succiniclasticum and Roseburia faecis significantly predicted RFI, DMI, and ADG.
Conclusions:
- This study elucidates the interactive relationships between the rumen microbiome and liver transcriptome in cattle with varying RFI.
- Findings enhance the understanding of the biological underpinnings of DMI and ADG in beef cattle.
- Identifies specific microbial and genetic factors potentially useful for selecting feed-efficient cattle.
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