Presentation Information
[POS-29]Impacts of Milk Production Cycle and Seasonal Variation on Rumen Microbiota and Propionate Production in Holstein Cows
*Kazuo Hashimi1, Tomoshige Wakita1, Takahiro Yamada1, Rie Sawado2, Shuhei Takizawa2, Kei Tokita1 (1. Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University (Japan), 2. NARO, Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science (Japan))
Keywords:
Holstein cow,dairy cow,rumen,bacteria,microbiota,propionate,methane,SCFA,Prevotellaceae,Lachnospiraceae
The rumen microbial community plays a critical role in dairy cow productivity and methane emissions [1][2]. Understanding its temporal dynamics across lactation cycles and seasons may provide strategies to enhance production efficiency while mitigating environmental impact. This study investigated shifts in ruminal microbiota, with a particular focus on propionate-associated bacteria and their potential role in methane mitigation.
Nineteen Holstein cows were monitored over 31 months (approximately 400 days per cow) at the NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Tsukuba, Japan, under controlled feeding and management conditions. Rumen microbial communities were characterized using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Microbial composition was analyzed for correlations with short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) ratio, methane emissions, feed intake, milk yield, and blood parameters.
Significant differences in microbial composition were observed between the lactation and dry periods. Propionate-associated bacteria, primarily from the families Prevotellaceae and Lachnospiraceae, were more abundant during lactation, likely due to the increased provision of concentrate feed. Nevertheless, certain species exhibited a strong correlation with propionic acid throughout the milk production cycle, whereas others demonstrated a particularly strong correlation during the dry period.
Seasonal variations influenced ruminal microbiota, with propionate-associated taxa increasing in summer during lactation. High temperatures in summer impose physiological stress on dairy cows, potentially altering rumen fermentation dynamics. Thus, optimizing microbiota through feeding strategies and health management may enhance milk production, stabilize key bacterial populations, reduce methane emissions, and contribute to more sustainable dairy farming.
[1] Moss, Angela R., Jean-Pierre Jouany, and John Newbold. "Methane production by ruminants: Its contribution to global warming." Annales de Zootechnie, vol. 49, no. 3, 2000, pp. 231–253.
[2] Shinkai, Takumi, et al. "Prevotella lacticifex sp. nov., isolated from the rumen of cows." International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 72.3 (2022).
This work was supported by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, Moonshot Research and Development Program for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (funding agency: Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution) (JPJ009237).
Nineteen Holstein cows were monitored over 31 months (approximately 400 days per cow) at the NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Tsukuba, Japan, under controlled feeding and management conditions. Rumen microbial communities were characterized using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Microbial composition was analyzed for correlations with short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) ratio, methane emissions, feed intake, milk yield, and blood parameters.
Significant differences in microbial composition were observed between the lactation and dry periods. Propionate-associated bacteria, primarily from the families Prevotellaceae and Lachnospiraceae, were more abundant during lactation, likely due to the increased provision of concentrate feed. Nevertheless, certain species exhibited a strong correlation with propionic acid throughout the milk production cycle, whereas others demonstrated a particularly strong correlation during the dry period.
Seasonal variations influenced ruminal microbiota, with propionate-associated taxa increasing in summer during lactation. High temperatures in summer impose physiological stress on dairy cows, potentially altering rumen fermentation dynamics. Thus, optimizing microbiota through feeding strategies and health management may enhance milk production, stabilize key bacterial populations, reduce methane emissions, and contribute to more sustainable dairy farming.
[1] Moss, Angela R., Jean-Pierre Jouany, and John Newbold. "Methane production by ruminants: Its contribution to global warming." Annales de Zootechnie, vol. 49, no. 3, 2000, pp. 231–253.
[2] Shinkai, Takumi, et al. "Prevotella lacticifex sp. nov., isolated from the rumen of cows." International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 72.3 (2022).
This work was supported by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, Moonshot Research and Development Program for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (funding agency: Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution) (JPJ009237).