Abstract
Enrichment of calf diets with exogenous butyrate has shown promise as a promotor of calf growth and intestinal development. However, the impact of dietary derived butyrate on the gut microbiota and their potential role, in turn, as mediators of its effect on calf growth and development is not known. Here, the effects of butyrate supplementation on rumen and hindgut microbiota and fermentation profiles were assessed in 16 Holstein-Friesian bull calves randomly assigned to one of two groups: Control (CON) fed conventional milk replacer or Sodium-Butyrate (SB – added to milk replacer) from days 7 to 56 of life. In the colon, total short chain fatty acid (SCFA), propionate and acetate concentrations were increased by SB (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed cecal abundance of butyrate producers Butyrivibrio and Shuttleworthia were decreased by SB (P < 0.05), while that of the propionate producer Phascolarctobacterium was higher (P < 0.05). Mogibacterium is associated with impaired gut health and was reduced in the cecum of SB calves (P < 0.05). These data show that the beneficial effects of SB on growth and performance occur in tandem with changes in the abundance of important SCFA producing and health-associated bacteria in the hindgut in milk-fed calves.
Highlights
The digestive physiology of calves changes dramatically in the first weeks and months of life, and the transition from a nominal monogastric to functional ruminant is fraught with challenges[1,2]
Enteric disorders in calves are associated with microbial dysbiosis in the gut[15], and the health-promoting effects of exogenous butyrate may be underpinned by modulation of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota
It is impossible to conclude whether changes in microbial composition are actively contributing to this improved growth and performance, or whether the host phenotype is driving changes in the microbial community
Summary
The digestive physiology of calves changes dramatically in the first weeks and months of life, and the transition from a nominal monogastric to functional ruminant is fraught with challenges[1,2]. Among the most prominent of the luminal SCFAs, butyrate has been investigated for its effectiveness in enhancing animal growth and intestinal integrity and development in young livestock, with promising results[10,11]. Butyrate inclusion in both milk replacer and solid feed has been shown to have beneficial effects on both intestinal development and animal growth in young livestock[9,10,13,14]. Enteric disorders in calves are associated with microbial dysbiosis in the gut[15], and the health-promoting effects of exogenous butyrate may be underpinned by modulation of the GIT microbiota. Given the established impact of butyrate on animal growth and intestinal development, we hypothesised that provision of a butyrate-fortified milk replacer impacts microbial communities throughout the GIT while improving host performance. The objectives of this study were to assess microbial composition and fermentation in the rumen and hindgut at weaning in dairy calves offered milk replacer enriched with butyrate
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