Insights into Effects of Combined Capric and Lauric Acid on Rumen Bacterial Composition

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 6; p. 1085
• Main Authors: Vadroňová, Mariana, Šťovíček, Adam, Výborná, Alena, Tyrolová, Yvona, Tichá, Denisa, Joch, Miroslav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.05.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Abundance; Amino acids; Ammonia; Animal welfare; Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; capric acid; Cattle; Composition; dairy cows; Diet; Diversity indices; Fatty acids; Feeds; Fermentation; Lauric acid; Livestock; Methane; Microbiota; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Microorganisms; Next-generation sequencing; Nucleotide sequence; Polymerase chain reaction; Relative abundance; Rumen; rumen bacteria; Rumen fermentation; ruminants; Saturated fatty acids; Stearic acid; Czech Republic; United States > US; capric acid; dairy cows; ruminants; rumen bacteria; lauric acid
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061085

This study used next-generation sequencing to assess the impact of combined capric acid (C10) and lauric acid (C12) on the ruminal bacterial composition. Eight Holstein cows were randomly assigned to two groups using a cross-over design. The cows were fed two silage-based diets with the addition of either 100 g of stearic acid per cow per day (control), or 50 g of capric acid and 50 g of lauric acid per cow per day (C10 + C12). On day 18, 250 mL of rumen fluid was collected from each cow, and DNA was isolated, amplified, and sequenced. Treatment did not alter bacterial diversity indices, the relative abundance of archaea, nor the fiber-degrading microorganisms, except for a decrease in (from 2.9% to 0.7%; = 0.04). The relative abundance of decreased (from 39.9% to 29.6%; = 0.009), which is notable because some members help to efficiently utilize ammonia by releasing it slowly into the rumen. Furthermore, the relative abundance of increased (from 28.4% to 41.5%; = 0.008), which may have aided the increased ammonia-nitrogen levels in the rumen, as this class contains hyperammonia-producing members. Our study reveals alterations in bacterial abundances with implications for rumen ammonia levels, offering insights into potential strategies for modulating rumen fermentation processes and methane production in ruminant livestock.