Abstract
BackgroundRuminants play a great role in sustainable livestock since they transform pastures, silage, and crop residues into high-quality human food (i.e. milk and beef). Animals with better ability to convert food into animal protein, measured as a trait called feed efficiency (FE), also produce less manure and greenhouse gas per kilogram of produced meat. Thus, the identification of high feed efficiency cattle is important for sustainable nutritional management. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of serum metabolites to identify FE of beef cattle before they enter the feedlot.ResultsA total of 3598 and 4210 m/z features was detected in negative and positive ionization modes via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A single feature was different between high and low FE groups. Network analysis (WGCNA) yielded the detection of 19 and 20 network modules of highly correlated features in negative and positive mode respectively, and 1 module of each acquisition mode was associated with RFI (r = 0.55, P < 0.05). Pathway enrichment analysis (Mummichog) yielded the Retinol metabolism pathway associated with feed efficiency in beef cattle in our conditions.ConclusionAltogether, these findings demonstrate the existence of a serum-based metabolomic signature associated with feed efficiency in beef cattle before they enter the feedlot. We are now working to validate the use of metabolites for identification of feed efficient animals for sustainable nutritional management.
Highlights
Ruminants play a great role in sustainable livestock since they transform pastures, silage, and crop residues into high-quality human food
Our group proposed a new biological process associated with feed efficiency (FE) in beef cattle: increased hepatic inflammation in less efficient animals probably caused by altered lipid metabolism and/or increased bacterial infection associated with higher feed intake [9]
Brazilian cattle are mainly raised in pastures, but can be kept in feedlot systems with diets composed of silage or other feedstuffs, such as high-fiber crop residues or grains, to improve body weight gain before slaughter
Summary
Ruminants play a great role in sustainable livestock since they transform pastures, silage, and crop residues into high-quality human food (i.e. milk and beef). Sustainable livestock production is a field of intense research where ruminants play a great role since they can transform graze pastures, silage and high-fiber crop residues into high-quality human food (i.e. milk and meat) [2]. The goal is “sustainable intensification” [3], meaning increased productivity while reducing the environmental impacts. In this context, feed efficiency (FE) has a. Our group proposed a new biological process associated with FE in beef cattle: increased hepatic inflammation in less efficient animals probably caused by altered lipid metabolism and/or increased bacterial infection associated with higher feed intake [9]
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