Abstract
Ruminants derived products have a prominent role in diets and economy worldwide; therefore, the capability to control the rumen microbial ecosystem, for ameliorating their quality, is of fundamental importance in the livestock sector. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with chestnut and quebracho tannins on microbial community and fatty acid profile, in the rumen fluid of dairy ewes. Multivariate analysis of PCR-DGGE profiles of rumen microbial communities showed a correlation among the presence of chestnut or quebracho in the diet, the specific Butyrivibrio group DGGE profiles, the increase in 18:3 cis9, cis12, and cis15; 18:2 cis9 and cis12; 18:2 cis9 and trans11; 18:2 trans11 and cis15; and 18:1 trans11 content, and the decrease in 18:0 concentration. Phylogenetic analysis of DGGE band sequences revealed the presence of bacteria representatives related to the genera Hungatella, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium and unclassified Lachnospiraceae family members, suggesting that these taxa could be affected by tannins presence in the diets. The results of this study showed that tannins from chestnut and quebracho can reduce the biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids through changes in rumen microbial communities.
Highlights
The manipulation of rumen microbial ecosystem is considered of primary importance in livestock sciences to improve the feed efficiency and to increase the quality of ruminantderived products [1]
Tannins lowered BH of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) leading to an accumulation of linoleic acid (LA), linolenic acid (LNA), and their BH intermediates, reducing the accumulation of FA g/100 g of total fatty acids
The use of chestnut and quebracho tannins in the diet of dairy ewes at a level below 2% dry matter (DM) reduced the extent of ruminal BH process, lowering stearic acid (SA) concentration and enhancing the percentage of LA, LNA, vaccenic acid (VA), rumenic acid (RA), and other 18:1 isomers
Summary
The manipulation of rumen microbial ecosystem is considered of primary importance in livestock sciences to improve the feed efficiency and to increase the quality of ruminantderived products [1]. Recent findings have suggested that tannins, the second most abundant group of plant phenols after lignin, may be used as natural feed additives to modulate rumen fermentation through the inhibition of specific rumen microbial species [2, 3]. Tannin effects on rumen microorganisms appear to depend strongly on their chemical structure, their concentration in rumen liquor, and the microbial species involved [5]. For this reason, in vivo studies are requested to elucidate the effect of this class of polyphenols on rumen microbial communities and their actual employment in ruminant livestock
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