Rumen fermentation and microbial population in lactating dairy cows receiving diets containing oilseeds rich in C-18 fatty acids

Sixteen Holstein rumen-cannulated primiparous milking dairy cows were fed a control diet (CN) based on maize silage and soyabean meal during a 4-week period before the start of a 21-d experiment with oilseeds containing high concentration of linoleic acid (Linola™) or linolenic acid (NuLin™). Thereafter, four cows received ad libitum one of each of four dietary treatments comprising of CN, Linola (LN), NuLin (NL) and LN/NL (50/50 % combination). Each LN, NL and LN/NL treatment contained 6 % oil of DM. Rumen digesta samples were collected on days 6, 11, 16 and 21 and milk samples on days 13, 15 and 17. There were no effects (P>0·05) of the oilseeds on pH and concentrations of NH3-N and total volatile fatty acids, while the acetate:propionate ratio was decreased (P< 0·05). The oilseeds also decreased (P< 0·05) protozoa and increased (P< 0·1) total cellulolytic bacteria in rumen fluid, especially when containing high dietary linoleic acid (P< 0·05). The milk protein concentration was increased (P< 0·1) by the dietary linoleic acid, which produced most beneficial results. It was concluded that supplements of linoleic acid in diets of ruminants might contribute to better digestion of dietary fibre and increased quality of milk.

[1]  M. Ivan.  Comparison of duodenal flow and digestibility in fauna-free sheep inoculated with Holotrich protozoa, Entodinium monofauna or total mixed protozoa population , 2008, British Journal of Nutrition.

[2]  S. Denman,et al.  Quantitation and diversity analysis of ruminal methanogenic populations in response to the antimethanogenic compound bromochloromethane. , 2007, FEMS microbiology ecology.

[3]  L. Rode,et al.  Effect of dietary Enterolobium cyclocarpum on microbial protein flow and nutrient digestibility in sheep maintained fauna-free, with total mixed fauna or with Entodinium caudatum monofauna , 2007, British Journal of Nutrition.

[4]  R. Forster,et al.  Repeated ruminal dosing of Ruminococcus flavefaciens NJ along with a probiotic mixture in forage or concentrate-fed dairy cows: Effect on ruminal fermentation, cellulolytic populations and in sacco digestibility , 2007 .

[5]  S. Denman,et al.  Development of a real-time PCR assay for monitoring anaerobic fungal and cellulolytic bacterial populations within the rumen. , 2006, FEMS microbiology ecology.

[6]  L. Rode,et al.  Duodenal flow and digestibility in fauna-free sheep and in sheep monofaunated with Entodinium caudatum or Polyplastron multivesiculatum , 2006, British Journal of Nutrition.

[7]  Z. Mir,et al.  Effects of dietary sunflower seeds on rumen protozoa and growth of lambs , 2004, British Journal of Nutrition.

[8]  Zhongtang Yu,et al.  Improved extraction of PCR-quality community DNA from digesta and fecal samples. , 2004, BioTechniques.

[9]  Z. Mir,et al.  Effects of sunflower seed supplementation and different dietary protein concentrations on the ciliate protozoa population dynamics in the rumen of sheep , 2003 .

[10]  J. Loor,et al.  Effect of linseed oil supplementation on ruminal digestion in dairy cows fed diets with different forage:concentrate ratios. , 2003, Journal of dairy science.

[11]  F. Mcintosh,et al.  Natural Products as Manipulators of Rumen Fermentation , 2002 .

[12]  Thomas D. Schmittgen,et al.  Real-Time Quantitative PCR , 2002 .

[13]  Z. Mir,et al.  Effects of dietary sunflower seed oil on rumen protozoa population and tissue concentration of conjugated linoleic acid in sheep , 2001 .

[14]  F. Mcintosh,et al.  Effects of protozoa on bacterial nitrogen recycling in the rumen. , 2000, Journal of animal science.

[15]  R. Forster,et al.  Effects of Isotricha, Dasytricha, Entodinium, and total fauna on ruminal fermentation and duodenal flow in wethers fed different diets. , 2000, Journal of dairy science.

[16]  M. Ivan,et al.  Ruminal fermentation and duodenal flow following progressive inoculations of fauna-free wethers with major individual species of ciliate protozoa or total fauna. , 2000, Journal of animal science.

[17]  R. Hegarty.  Reducing rumen methane emissions through elimination of rumen protozoa , 1999 .

[18]  G. Attwood,et al.  Detection of Clostridium proteoclasticumand Closely Related Strains in the Rumen by Competitive PCR , 1998, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[19]  J. Jouany.  Effect of rumen protozoa on nitrogen utilization by ruminants. , 1996, The Journal of nutrition.

[20]  S. Pochet,et al.  Effect of linseed oil supplementation on feed degradation and microbial synthesis in the rumen of ciliate-free and refaunated sheep , 1994 .

[21]  P. Gerhardt,et al.  Methods for general and molecular bacteriology , 1994 .

[22]  E. Olfert,et al.  Guide to the care and use of experimental animals , 1993 .

[23]  J. Firkins,et al.  Quantification of intraruminal recycling of microbial nitrogen using nitrogen-15. , 1992, Journal of animal science.

[24]  M. Hidiroglou,et al.  Effects of bentonite on wool growth and nitrogen metabolism in fauna-free and faunated sheep. , 1992, Journal of animal science.

[25]  G. Coleman,et al.  The Rumen Protozoa , 1992, Brock/Springer Series in Contemporary Bioscience.

[26]  P. V. Soest,et al.  Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. , 1991, Journal of dairy science.

[27]  H. Petit,et al.  Duodenal flow of nitrogen following protozoal inoculation of fauna-free sheep fed a diet supplemented with casein or soybean meal , 1991 .

[28]  A. Klieve,et al.  Inducible bacteriophages from ruminal bacteria , 1989, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[29]  J. Jouany,et al.  Effect of defaunating the rumen , 1988 .

[30]  P. Moate.  DEFAUNATION INCREASES MILK YIELD OF DAIRY COWS , 1988 .

[31]  D. Veira.  The role of ciliate protozoa in nutrition of the ruminant. , 1986, Journal of animal science.

[32]  D. Veira,et al.  The alleviation of chronic copper toxicity in sheep by ciliate protozoa , 1986, British Journal of Nutrition.

[33]  C. V. Van Nevel,et al.  Influence of substrate and microbial interaction on efficiency of rumen microbial growth. , 1986, Reproduction, nutrition, developpement.

[34]  T. Jenkins,et al.  Effect of fatty acids or calcium soaps on rumen and total nutrient digestibility of dairy rations. , 1984, Journal of dairy science.

[35]  J. Costerton,et al.  Atlas of Rumen Microbiology , 1983 .

[36]  D. Veira,et al.  Rumen ciliate protozoa: effects on digestion in the stomach of sheep. , 1983, Journal of dairy science.

[37]  J. Sutton,et al.  Digestion and synthesis in the rumen of sheep given diets supplemented with free and protected oils , 1983, British Journal of Nutrition.

[38]  J. Sutton,et al.  The effect of varying the amount of linseed oil supplementation on rumen metabolism in sheep , 1982, British Journal of Nutrition.

[39]  J. Hawke,et al.  The role of holotrichs in the metabolism of dietary linoleic acid in the rumen. , 1978, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[40]  V. Arthaud,et al.  The effect of feeding unsaturated fats as influenced by gelatinized corn and by the presence of absence of rumen protozoa. II. Carcass lipid composition. , 1974, Journal of animal science.

[41]  V. Arthaud,et al.  The effect of feeding unsaturated fats as influenced by gelatinized corn and by the presence or absence of rumen protozoa. I. Serum lipid composition. , 1974, Journal of Animal Science.

[42]  C. Henderson.  The effects of fatty acids on pure cultures of rumen bacteria , 1973, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[43]  K. P. Norris,et al.  IMPROVEMENTS IN DETERMINING TOTAL COUNTS OF BACTERIA , 1961 .

[44]  J. Folch,et al.  A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipides from animal tissues. , 1957, The Journal of biological chemistry.