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Dietary supplementation with inulin improves lactation performance and serum lipids by regulating the rumen microbiome and metabolome in dairy cows

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of inulin on rumen fermentation parameters, ruminal microbiome and metabolites, as well as lactation performance and serum indexes in dairy cows. Sixteen Holstein dairy cows with similar body conditions were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 8 per group), with inulin addition at 0 and 200 g/d per cow. The experiment lasted for 6 weeks, including a 1-week adaptation period and a 5-week treatment period. At the end of the experimental period, the milk, serum and rumen fluid were sampled and analyzed. The microbiome and metabolome in the rumen fluid were analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, respectively. The results showed that supplementation with inulin (200 g/d per cow) increased the milk yield (P = 0.001), milk protein (P = 0.032), lactose rate (P = 0.004) and proportion of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in milk (P < 0.001), but decreased the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) (P = 0.041). Rumen pH (P = 0.040) and the concentration of NH3–N (P = 0.024) were decreased; however, acetate (P < 0.001), propionate (P = 0.003), butyrate (P < 0.001) and lactic acid (LA) (P = 0.043) were increased. The total cholesterol (TC) (P = 0.008) and triglycerides (TG) (P = 0.01) in serum were also reduced. Additionally, inulin addition elevated the relative abundance of several beneficial symbiotic and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, such as Muribaculaceae (false discovery rate [FDR]-adjusted P < 0.01), Acetitomaculum (FDR-adjusted P = 0.043), and Butyrivibrio (FDR-adjusted P = 0.036), while elevating the levels of L-lysine (FDR-adjusted P = 4.24 × 10−3), L-proline (FDR-adjusted P = 0.0158), and L-phenylalanine (FDR-adjusted P = 0.027). In contrast, several pathogens and ruminal bacteria abundant in high-fat diets, such as Escherichia-Shigella (FDR-adjusted P = 0.022), Erysipelotrichaceae__UCG-004 (FDR-adjusted P < 0.01) and RF39 (FDR-adjusted P = 0.042) were decreased along with the reduction of lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) (18:1 (9Z)) (FDR-adjusted P = 1.03 × 10−3), LysoPC (16:0) (FDR-adjusted P = 0.0108), LysoPC (18:2 (9Z, 12Z)) (FDR-adjusted P = 1.65 × 10−3) and 8-methylnonenoate. In conclusion, dietary inulin supplementation could increase the relative abundance of commensal microbiota and SCFA-producing bacteria, upregulate amino acidmetabolism and downregulate lipid metabolism in the rumen of dairy cows, which might further improve lactation performance and the level of serum lipids.

SUBMITTER: Wang Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8556608 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is one of the highly infectious diseases in dairy cows with the characteristics of high incidence and nonvisible clinical symptoms. The gastrointestinal microbiota is closely related to mastitis. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber with functions in improving intestinal microbial communities and enhancing the host's immunity. However, the impact of dietary inulin on the rumen inner environment remains unknown. The current study investigated whether inulin could relieve SCM by affecting the profiles of ruminal bacterial and metabolites in dairy cows. Inulin inclusion rates were 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 g/day per cow, respectively. Inulin increased milk yield, milk protein, and lactose and reduced the somatic cell counts (SCC) in milk. In serum, the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were decreased, and IL-4 and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased. Meanwhile, inulin increased the concentration of propionate, butyrate, and lactic acid (LA), while it decreased NH3-N in rumen. The propionate- and butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Prevotella and Butyrivibrio) and several beneficial commensal bacteria (e.g., Muribaculaceae and Bifidobacterium) as well as metabolites related to energy and amino acid metabolism (e.g., melibiose and l-glutamate) were increased. However, several proinflammatory bacteria (e.g., Clostridia UCG-014, Streptococcus, and Escherichia-Shigella) were decreased, accompanied by the downregulation of lipid proinflammatory metabolites, for example, ceramide(d18:0/15:0) [Cer(d18:0/15:0)] and 17-phenyl-18,19,20-trinor-prostaglandin E2. In the current study, the above indicators showed the best response in the 300 g/day inulin group. Overall, dietary supplementation of inulin could alleviate inflammatory responses in cows with SCM through improving the rumen inner environment. IMPORTANCE The correlation between mastitis and the gastrointestinal microbiome in dairy cows has been demonstrated. Regulating the profile of rumen microorganisms may contribute to remission of subclinical mastitis (SCM). Supplementation of inulin in the diets of cows with SCM could increase the abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and beneficial commensal bacteria in rumen and meanwhile the levels of amino acids and energy metabolism. Conversely, the abundance of ruminal bacteria and metabolites with proinflammatory effects were decreased. Our study suggests that the improvement of the rumen internal environment by inulin supplementation could ameliorate inflammatory responses during SCM in dairy cows and thus improve lactation performance and milk quality. Our results provide a theoretical basis for regulation measures of SCM in dairy cows.

Project description:Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) represents one of the most important digestive disorders in intensive dairy farms, and dairy cows are individually different in the severity of SARA risk. The objectives of the current study were to investigate differences in the ruminal bacterial community and metabolome in dairy cattle with different susceptibility to SARA. In the present study, 12 cows were initially enrolled in the experiment. Based on average ruminal pH, 4 cows with the lowest ruminal pH were assigned to the susceptible group (SUS, pH = 5.76, n = 4) and 4 cows with the highest ruminal pH assigned to the tolerant group (TOL, pH = 6.10, n = 4). Rumen contents from susceptible (SUS, n = 4) and tolerant (TOL, n = 4) dairy cows were collected through rumen fistula to systematically reveal the rumen microbial and metabolic alterations of dairy cows with different susceptibility to SARA using multi-omics approaches (16S and 18S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolome). The results showed that despite being fed the same diet, SUS cows had lower ruminal pH and higher concentrations of total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and propionate than TOL cows (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in dry matter intake, milk yield, and other milk compositions between the SUS and TOL groups (P > 0.05). The principal coordinates analysis based on the analysis of molecular variance indicated a significant difference in bacterial composition between the two groups (P = 0.01). More specifically, the relative abundance of starch-degrading bacteria (Prevotella spp.) was greater (P < 0.05), while the proportion of fiber-degrading bacteria (unclassified Ruminococcaceae spp., Ruminococcus spp., Papillibacter, and unclassified Family_XIII) was lower in the rumen of SUS cows compared with TOL cows (P < 0.05). Community analysis of protozoa showed that there were no significant differences in the diversity, richness, and community structure (P > 0.05). Metabolomics analysis revealed that the concentrations of organic acids (such as lactic acid), biogenic amines (such as histamine), and bacterial degradation products (such as hypoxanthine) were significantly higher in the SUS group compared to the TOL group (P < 0.05). These findings revealed that the higher proportion of starch-degrading bacteria/lower fiber-degrading bacteria in the rumen of SUS cows resulted in higher VFA-producing capacity, in particular propionate. This caused a disruption in metabolic homeostasis in the rumen which might be the reason for the higher susceptibility to SARA. Overall, these findings enhanced our understanding of the ruminal microbiome and metabolic changes in cows susceptible to SARA.

Project description:The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) supplementation on metabolic profile and microbiota in ruminal content and feces of lactating dairy cows under heat stress (HS). Forty-eight lactating Holstein cows (154 ± 13.6 days in milk) were assigned randomly to four treatments (n = 12), to receive 0, 15, 20, or 25 g/day of commercial NCG (proportion: 97.7%) for the period of 60 days. The recorded ambient temperature-humidity index (THI) suggested that the cows were exposed to HS for almost the entire experimental period (average THI: 80.6). Samples of ruminal content and feces were collected at the end of the trial (day 60) to determine the biological effects of NCG supplementation on metabolome and microbiota using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques, respectively. Results showed that NCG supplementation enhanced the levels of ruminal microbial protein, total volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and the molar proportion of propionate in the rumen, but lowered the ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and the ratio of acetate to propionate. NCG at doses of 20 and 25 g/day reduced the community richness and diversity of ruminal microbiota with the decrease of Shannon and Simpson diversity. Compositions of ruminal and fecal microbiotas were altered by NCG, and the PICRUSt results revealed that metabolic pathways of the bacteria, such as amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism, were enriched in NCG groups. Distinct changes in the metabolomic profile of ruminal fluid were observed between the control and NCG groups. Changes of 26 metabolites mainly involved in arginine metabolism, glutamate metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism were observed associated with NCG supplementation. These results provided new insights into the effects of NCG on metabolomic profile and microbiota in ruminal content and feces, and the optimal dose of NCG supplemented to dairy cows was 20 g/hd/day, which contributed to understanding the effects of NCG on HS in lactating dairy cows.

Project description:Recent studies have reported that some rumen microbes are heritable. However, it is necessary to clarify the functions and specific contributions of the heritable rumen microbes to cattle phenotypes (microbiability) in comparison with those that are nonheritable. This study aimed to identify the distribution and predicted functions of heritable and nonheritable bacterial taxa at species level in the rumen of dairy cows and their respective contributions to energy-corrected milk yield, protein content and yield, and fat content and yield in milk. Thirty-two heritable and 674 nonheritable bacterial taxa were identified at species level, and the functional analysis revealed that predicted microbial functions for both groups were mainly enriched for energy, amino acid, and ribonucleotide metabolism. The mean microbiability (to reflect a single taxon's contribution) of heritable bacteria was found to range from 0.16% to 0.33% for the different milk traits, whereas the range for nonheritable bacteria was 0.03% to 0.06%. These findings suggest a strong contribution by host genetics in shaping the rumen microbiota, which contribute significantly to milk production traits. Therefore, there is an opportunity to further improve milk production traits through attention to host genetics and the interaction with the rumen microbiota. IMPORTANCE Rumen bacteria produce volatile fatty acids which exert a far-reaching influence on hepatic metabolism, mammary gland metabolism, and animal production. In the current study, 32 heritable and 674 nonheritable bacterial taxa at species level were identified, and shown to have different microbiability (overall community contribution) and mean microbiability (the average of a single taxon's contribution) for lactation performance. The predicted functions of heritable and nonheritable bacterial taxa also differed, suggesting that targeted nutritional and genetic breeding approaches could be used to manipulate them to improve dairy cow performance.

Project description:BackgroundEnhancing the post-ruminal supply of arginine (Arg), a semi-essential amino acid (AA), elicits positive effects on milk production. Our objective was to determine the effects of Arg infusion on milk production parameters and aspects of nitrogen (N) absorption and utilization in lactating dairy cows. Six lactating Chinese Holstein cows of similar body weight (508 ± 14 kg), body condition score (3.0 ± 0), parity (4.0 ± 0), milk yield (30.6 ± 1.8 kg) and days in milk (20 ± 2 d) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21 d for each period (1 week for infusion and 2 weeks for washout). Treatments were 1) Control: saline; 2) Arg group: saline + 9.42 g/L L-Arg; 3) Alanine (Ala) group: saline + 19.31 g/L L-Ala (iso-nitrogenous to the Arg group). Milk production and composition, dry matter intake, apparent absorption of N, profiles of amino acids (AA) in blood, urea N in urine, milk, and blood, and gene expression of AA transporters were determined.ResultsCompared with the Control or Ala group, the infusion of Arg led to greater expression of AA transporters (SLC7A2 and SLC7A8) and apparent uptake of free AA in the mammary gland, and was accompanied by greater milk yield, milk protein yield and milk efficiency (calculated by dividing milk yield over feed intake), together with lower concentration of urea N [regarded as an indicator of N utilization efficiency (NUE)] in blood and milk. Furthermore, in the cows infused with Arg, the NUE was higher and the concentration of urea N in urine was lower than those in the Ala group, although no differences were detected in NUE and urea N in urine between the Control and Arg group. The infusion of Ala had no effect on those indices compared with the Control.ConclusionsOverall, enhancing the post-ruminal supply of Arg via the jugular vein had a positive effect on the synthesis of milk protein at least in part by increasing gene expression of some AA transporters and uptake of free AA by mammary gland.

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Dietary supplementation with inulin improves lactation performance and serum lipids by regulating the rumen microbiome and metabolome in dairy cows

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