The day-to-day stability of the ruminal and fecal microbiota in lactating dairy cows

Abstract

In this study, we examined differences between the microbiota of the ruminal fluid (DR) and feces (DF) from five lactating dairy cows over three consecutive days using 16S rRNA gene sequence-based analysis. Results showed significant differences between the microbial communities of the DR and DF. In particular, the relative abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria was significantly lower (q < 0.001) in DR compared with DF, while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was significantly higher in DF than that of DR (q < 0.001). A significantly higher relative abundance of the genera Bifidobacterium, 5-7N15, Clostridium, Epulopiscium, SMB53, Turicibacter, Dorea, Roseburia, and Akkermansia was observed in the DF, while a higher relative abundance of the genera Prevotella, Butyrivibrio, CF231, RFN20, and Succiniclasticum was observed in the DR. A further analysis using the functional prediction program PICRUSt showed that sequences belonging to the 5-7N15, Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Dorea, Epulopiscium, Roseburia, and Turicibacter were significantly and positively correlated with glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, while CF231, Prevotella, RFN20, and Succiniclasticum were significantly and positively correlated with amino acid, lipid, carbohydrate, other amino acid, cofactors, and vitamins metabolism. No significant differences were observed across the three consecutive days in either the DR or DF ecosystems, with no significant differences in the diversity or abundance at the phylum and genus levels suggested that there is a limited day-to-day variability in the gut microbiota.

Keywords: bacterial community; dairy cow; feces; rumen fluid.