Specific enrichment of microbes and increased ruminal propionate production: the potential mechanism underlying the high energy efficiency of Holstein heifers fed steam-flaked corn.

ABSTRACT: Corn grain has a high starch content and is used as main energy source in ruminant diets. Compared with finely ground corn (FGC), steam-flaked corn (SFC) could improve the milk yield of lactating dairy cows and the growth performance of feedlot cattle, but the detailed mechanisms underlying those finding are unknown. The rumen microbiome breaks down feedstuffs into energy substrates for the host animals, and contributes to feed efficiency. Therefore, the current study was conducted to investigate the ruminal bacterial community changes of heifers fed differently processed corn (SFC or FGC) using 16S rRNA sequencing technologies, and to uncover the detailed mechanisms underlying the high performance of ruminants fed the SFC diet. The results revealed that different processing methods change

SUBMITTER: Ren H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6935382 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature