Establishment of methanogen bacterial interactions during the preweaning period of dairy cattle.

ABSTRACT: Ruminant livestock are major contributors to anthropogenic methane emissions in the United States and worldwide. Enteric methane is generated by methanogenic archaea residing in ruminant digestive tracts. Information on when methanogens colonize the gut and when they begin to interact with bacteria during the early phases of the ruminant life cycle is less explored. The objectives of this study were (i) to investigate the composition of the methanogenic archaeal community at birth and through the weaning transition and (ii) to determine if and when the methanogenic archaea begin to interact with bacteria in the lower gut of neonatal dairy calves. Ten female Holstein calves (approximately 45kg birth weight) were enrolled in the study. Fecal samples were collected every two weeks (Wk 2, 4, 6

SUBMITTER: Indugu N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11414971 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature