ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2017, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (12): 2347-2357.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2017.12.014

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Effects of Diets with Different NFC/NDF Levels on the Rumen Fermentation Parameters and Bacterial Community in Male Calves

LI Lan-jie1,2, CHENG Shu-ru2, DIAO Qi-yu1, FU Tong3, BI Yan-liang1, WANG An-si3, LI Ming3, TU Yan*1*   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;
    2. College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    3. College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
  • Received:2017-03-09 Online:2017-12-23 Published:2017-12-23

Abstract:

This study assessed the effects of diets with different non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC)/neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels on rumen fermentation parameters and bacterial community of male calves. Thirty 2-3 month-old healthy weaned male calves with (94.38±0.25)kg were randomly divided into 2 groups with 15 calves each, and were fed 2 types of total mixed ratio diet with the same crude protein level and different NFC/NDF ratios (1.35(A) and 0.80(D)), respectively. The experiment lasted for 105 d, with 15 d of adaptation period and 90 d of formal period. Six calves in each group were selected to collect rumen fluid through oral for 2 hours after morning feeding on the 120, 150 and 180 d. The pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and NH3-N concentration and rumen microbial diversity of the rumen fluid samples were determined. The results showed that:1) The dietary NFC/NDF levels had no significant effect on rumen fluid pH and total VFA concentration (P>0.05); 2) Acetate, NH3-N concentration and acetate/propionate ratio in group A were significantly lower than that in group D (P<0.05), propionate content in group A were significantly higher than that in group D (P<0.05); 3) The microbial diversity parameters of rumen fluid of calves in group A were significantly lower than that in group D (P<0.05); 4) At the phylum level, bacteriodetes proportion accounting for the total number of sequences of calves in group A was significantly higher than that in group D (P<0.05), Christensenellaceae_R-7 and Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 proportions accounting for the total number of sequences of calves in group D was significantly higher at the genus level than that in group A (P<0.05); 5) With the age increasing, the diversity indices except for Shannon index, were significantly different between the 2 groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in rumen microbial composition between the 2 groups(P>0.05). In summary, the dietary NFC/NDF levels significantly affect the species and abundance of the rumen microorganisms, and the level of genus of microorganisms, finally affect the yield of acetate and propionate.

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