Temporal stability of the rumen microbiota in beef cattle, and response to diet and supplements.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Dietary intake is known to be a driver of microbial community dynamics in ruminants. Beef cattle go through a finishing phase that typically includes very high concentrate ratios in their feed, with consequent effects on rumen metabolism including methane production. This longitudinal study was designed to measure dynamics of the rumen microbial community in response to the introduction of high concentrate diets fed to beef cattle during the finishing period. A cohort of 50 beef steers were fed either of two basal diet formulations consisting of approximately 10:90 or 50:50 forage:concentrate ratios respectively. Nitrate and oil rich supplements were also added either individually or in combination. Digesta samples were taken at time points over ~ 200 days during the fin

SUBMITTER: Snelling TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7807515 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature