1. Academic Validation
  2. Early life dietary intervention in dairy calves results in a long-term reduction in methane emissions

Early life dietary intervention in dairy calves results in a long-term reduction in methane emissions

  • Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 4;11(1):3003. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82084-9.
S J Meale 1 2 M Popova 1 C Saro 1 3 C Martin 1 A Bernard 1 M Lagree 4 D R Yáñez-Ruiz 5 H Boudra 1 S Duval 6 D P Morgavi 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 INRAE, UMR Herbivores, VetAgro Sup, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63122, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France.
  • 2 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia.
  • 3 Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de León, Campus Vegazana s/n, 24071, León, Spain.
  • 4 Plateforme d'Exploration du Métabolisme, MetaboHUB Clermont, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
  • 5 Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Profesor Albareda 1, 18008, Granada, Spain.
  • 6 Research Centre for Animal Nutrition and Health, DSM Nutritional Products, BP 170, 68305, Saint-Louis Cedex, France.
  • 7 INRAE, UMR Herbivores, VetAgro Sup, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63122, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France. Diego.morgavi@inrae.fr.
Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that changes in microbial colonization of the rumen prior to weaning may imprint the rumen microbiome and impact phenotypes later in life. We investigated how dietary manipulation from birth influences growth, methane production, and gastrointestinal microbial ecology. At birth, 18 female Holstein and Montbéliarde calves were randomly assigned to either treatment or control (CONT). Treatment was 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), an investigational anti-methanogenic compound that was administered daily from birth until three weeks post-weaning (week 14). Samples of rumen fluid and faecal content were collected at weeks 1, 4, 11, 14, 23, and 60 of life. Calves were tested for methane emissions using the GreenFeed system during the post-weaning period (week 11-23 and week 56-60 of life). Calf physiological parameters (BW, ADG and individual VFA) were similar across groups throughout the trial. Treated calves showed a persistent reduction in methane emissions (g CH4/d) throughout the post-weaning period up to at least 1 year of life, despite treatment ceasing three weeks post-weaning. Similarly, despite variability in the abundance of individual taxa across weeks, the rumen Bacterial, archaeal and Fungal structure differed between CONT and 3-NOP calves across all weeks, as visualised using sparse-PLS-DA. Similar separation was also observed in the faecal Bacterial community. Interestingly, despite modest modifications to the abundance of rumen microbes, the reductive effect of 3-NOP on methane production persisted following cessation of the treatment period, perhaps indicating a differentiation of the ruminal microbial ecosystem or a host response triggered by the treatment in the early development phase.

Figures
Products
  • Cat. No.
    Product Name
    Description
    Target
    Research Area
  • HY-139566
    甲基辅酶M还原酶抑制剂