Palmitic acid alone or combined with stearic and oleic enhances ruminal fiber degradation and alters microbiome composition.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Improving ruminal fiber degradation is a key focus for enhancing animal performance and reducing the environmental impact of ruminant production systems. While dietary fat is typically recognized for impairing ruminal fiber degradation, recent research suggests that specific fatty acids, such as palmitic, stearic, and oleic, may have the potential to improve it. Since palmitic, stearic, and oleic are major components of the membranes of ruminal mixed bacteria, we hypothesize that supplying these fatty acids in proportions that mimic bacterial composition will promote microbial flow and, consequently, improve fiber degradation.

Methods

Diets were randomly assigned to 8 single-flow continuous culture fermenters arranged in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square with 6 da

SUBMITTER: Batistel F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12394162 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature