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Rumen Microbiome Development in Lambs Following Maternal and Early-Life Prebiotic Mannan-Rich Fraction (MRF)

Aoife Corrigan¹, Stephen Stockdale², Alexander M Mackenzie³

¹Alltech European Bioscience Centre, Dunboyne, A86 X006 Co. Meath, Ireland.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI

|May 4, 2026

Summary

Mannan-rich fraction (MRF) supplementation in lambs, particularly when given maternally and directly, positively impacts rumen microbial diversity and growth performance. This strategy may enhance early-life nutrition in ruminant production.

Keywords:

early-life programming ewe fetal programming lamb mannan-rich fraction maternal supplementation metagenomics microbial resilience rumen microbiome volatile fatty acids

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Area of Science:

Rumen microbiology
Animal nutrition
Metagenomics

Background:

Early-life rumen microbiome development is crucial for lamb health and growth.
Dietary additives are explored to optimize animal performance and welfare.
Maternal and direct supplementation strategies warrant investigation for their impact on the rumen microbiome.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of mannan-rich fraction (MRF) supplementation on lamb rumen microbial community assembly and growth performance.
To compare the impacts of maternal, direct, and combined MRF supplementation.
To explore the relationship between rumen microbial diversity, volatile fatty acid production, and growth performance.

Main Methods:

Metagenomic sequencing to analyze microbial community structure and diversity.
Gas chromatography to measure volatile fatty acid concentrations.
Growth performance metrics including average daily gain and final weight.

Main Results:

MRF supplementation altered rumen microbial alpha and beta diversity, influenced by sampling time and supplementation route.
Direct MRF supplementation increased Shannon diversity at week 8; combined supplementation showed highest diversity at week 20.
Maternal MRF supplementation enriched carbohydrate-fermenting and succinate-metabolizing bacteria.
Microbial diversity correlated with volatile fatty acids (butyrate, valerate, propionate).
Combined maternal and direct MRF supplementation resulted in the highest lamb growth performance.

Conclusions:

MRF supplementation, especially combined maternal and direct routes, significantly influences the lamb rumen microbiome composition and metabolic potential.
This approach shows promise for optimizing early-life nutrition strategies in ruminant production systems.
Further research can explore specific mechanisms and long-term effects of MRF supplementation.