Effect of Limit-Fed Diets With Different Forage to Concentrate Ratios on Fecal Bacterial and Archaeal Community Composition in Holstein Heifers.

ABSTRACT: Limit-feeding of a high concentrate diet has been proposed as an effective method for improving feed efficiency and reducing total manure output of dairy heifers; meanwhile the effects of this method on hindgut microbiota are still unclear. This study investigated the effects of a wide range of dietary forage:concentrate ratios (F:C) on the fecal composition of bacteria and archaea in heifers using next-generation sequencing. Four diets with different F:C (80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80) were limit-fed to 24 Holstein heifers, and the fecal fermentation parameters and bacterial and archaeal communities were investigated. With increasing dietary concentrate levels, the fecal dry matter output, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content, and proportion of acetate decreased linearly (P < 0.0

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5962747 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature