Holstein and Jersey Steers Differ in Rumen Microbiota and Enteric Methane Emissions Even Fed the Same Total Mixed Ration

Abstract

Previous studies have focused on the rumen microbiome and enteric methane (CH₄) emissions in dairy cows, yet little is known about steers, especially steers of dairy breeds. In the present study, we comparatively examined the rumen microbiota, fermentation characteristics, and CH₄ emissions from six non-cannulated Holstein (710.33 ± 43.02 kg) and six Jersey (559.67 ± 32.72 kg) steers. The steers were fed the same total mixed ration (TMR) for 30 days. After 25 days of adaptation to the diet, CH₄ emissions were measured using GreenFeed for three consecutive days, and rumen fluid samples were collected on last day using stomach tubing before feeding (0 h) and 6 h after feeding. CH₄ production (g/d/animal), CH₄ yield (g/kg DMI), and CH₄ intensity (g/kg BW^0.75) were higher in the Jersey steers than in the Holstein steers. The lowest pH value was recorded at 6 h after feeding. The Jersey steers had lower rumen pH and a higher concentration of ammonia-nitrogen (NH₃-N). The Jersey steers had a numerically higher molar proportion of acetate than the Holstein steers, but the opposite was true for that of propionate. Metataxonomic analysis of the rumen microbiota showed that the two breeds had similar species richness, Shannon, and inverse Simpson diversity indexes. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the overall rumen microbiota was different between the two breeds. Both breeds were dominated by Prevotella ruminicola, and its highest relative abundance was observed 6 h after feeding. The genera Ethanoligenens, Succinivibrio, and the species Ethanoligenens harbinense, Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens, Prevotella micans, Prevotella copri, Prevotella oris, Prevotella baroniae, and Treponema succinifaciens were more abundant in Holstein steers while the genera Capnocytophaga, Lachnoclostridium, Barnesiella, Oscillibacter, Galbibacter, and the species Capnocytophaga cynodegmi, Galbibacter mesophilus, Barnesiella intestinihominis, Prevotella shahii, and Oscillibacter ruminantium in the Jersey steers. The Jersey steers were dominated by Methanobrevibacter millerae while the Holstein steers by Methanobrevibacter olleyae. The overall results suggest that sampling hour has little influence on the rumen microbiota; however, breeds of steers can affect the assemblage of the rumen microbiota and different mitigation strategies may be needed to effectively manipulate the rumen microbiota and mitigate enteric CH₄ emissions from these steers.

Keywords: Holstein steer; Jersey steer; enteric methane emissions; rumen fermentation; rumen microbiota.

FIGURE 1

Methanogens identified in the rumen of the Holstein and the Jersey Steers. Blue bars, Methanobrevibacter; orange bars. M. millerae; and green bars, M. olleyae.

FIGURE 2

Phyla of bacteria identified in the rumen of the Holstein and the Jersey steers. B, H, and B × H indicate significant (P < 0.05) difference in relative abundance between breeds, sampling hours, and the interaction between breed and sampling hours, respectively.

FIGURE 3

Major genera (each having relative abundance ≥0.1%) of bacteria identified in the rumen of the Holstein and the Jersey steers. B and H indicate significant (P < 0.05) differences in relative abundance between breeds and sampling hours, respectively.

FIGURE 4

Principal coordinates analysis plot based on unweighted-Unifrac distance showing the comparison of the overall rumen microbiota of the Holstein and the Jersey steers.

FIGURE 5

Principal coordinates analysis plot based on Bray–Curtis dissimilarity with ellipse at 95% confidence showing the comparison of the overall rumen microbiota of the Holstein and the Jersey steers.