Abstract
A healthy gut is very important for young animal development. The rumen of ruminants expands in size with the colonization of microbiota by 2 months of age. This process is promoted by alfalfa intervention. To elucidate the mechanism of this promotion, we performed transcriptomic analyses using a cohort of 23 lambs to evaluate the effects of starter diets plus alfalfa on the development of the rumen wall from the pre- to the postweaning period. The quantitative PCR analyses were used to validate selected genes that were differentially expressed in the transcriptome mapping. We found that several metabolic processes associated with rumen tissue development were affected by solid feed intake, with genes linked to the calcium signaling transduction pathway and the metabolism of pteridine-containing compounds and homocysteine metabolic process being upregulated in the group with alfalfa intervention. The results suggest that the pteridine-containing compounds and calcium signaling are targets for precise regulation of rumen development.
Highlights
The rumen is a unique organ that acts as a fermentation chamber containing a mixture of anaerobic bacteria, archaea, protozoa, anaerobic fungi, and flagellates, and it converts low-nutritional-value lignocellulose-rich plant materials into animal protein (Mackie, 2002)
6 out of 66 male 10-day-old Hu lambs were sacrificed as baseline (B-10), and another 60 lambs were randomly assigned into two types of feeding programs, with 2 lambs who had similar body weight within the same feeding programs sharing one 1.4×1.4 m2 pen, to characterize the effect of alfalfa intervention on rumen development
The feeding strategy of milk supplemented only with hay does not exist in farming, so in contrast to these studies, we wanted to investigate what would happen in the rumen tissue, not just the rumen epithelium, when the chopped alfalfa was fed to ruminants after short-chain fatty acid supplementation from the concentration starter
Summary
The rumen is a unique organ that acts as a fermentation chamber containing a mixture of anaerobic bacteria, archaea, protozoa, anaerobic fungi, and flagellates, and it converts low-nutritional-value lignocellulose-rich plant materials into animal protein (Mackie, 2002). The muscular contractions of the rumen–reticulum wall propel the bolus of plant and saliva from the rumen into the mouth for rumination and increased plant degradation. It is a metabolic organ that is responsible for the absorption and conversion of short-chain fatty acids into ketone bodies, which can support the requirements of animals for energy and tissue building (Baldwin et al, 2004; Reynolds and Kristensen, 2008). The rumen takes up a large proportion of the body cavity, while it remains undeveloped, with a small volume and thin wall, in the newborn ruminants. The rumen undergoes extensive morphological structure changes and a functional transition during a short time after solid feed intake (Baldwin et al, 2004), so the rumen has been of interest regarding fermentation efficiency and as a unique model for investigating the nutrient–gene interactions and microbiome–host causal effects.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
