Frontiers in Animal Science (Jun 2022)

Effects of Non-Protein Nitrogen Sources on In Vitro Rumen Fermentation Characteristics and Microbial Diversity

  • Jinjia Zhu,
  • Jinjia Zhu,
  • Ao Ren,
  • Ao Ren,
  • Jinzhen Jiao,
  • Weijun Shen,
  • Lingyuan Yang,
  • Chuanshe Zhou,
  • Chuanshe Zhou,
  • Zhiliang Tan,
  • Zhiliang Tan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2022.891898
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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Here, the effects of non-protein nitrogen sources on fermentation parameters and microbial diversity were explored using three fistula goats as rumen fluid donors. The experiments involved six fermenters in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with three dietary non-protein sources [ammonium chloride (A), biuret (B), and glutamine (G)] as treatment factors. A dual-flow continuous culture fermentation system was used. Microbial protein content in group B was significantly lower than that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Ammonia nitrogen concentration significantly differed among the three groups (P < 0.01), following the order of G > A > B group. The acetate-to-propionate ratio in group G was significantly lower than that in the other two groups (P < 0.01). At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Cyanobacteria, Elusimicrobia, and Armatimonadetes were the highest in group G, being significantly higher than those in group B (P < 0.05). At the genus level, the relative abundance of Ruminococcus_1 was significantly higher in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). Overall, glutamine shifted the fermentation pathway from acetate to propionate, and the lower microbial crude protein content and relative abundances of the major fiber-degrading bacteria Ruminococcus_1 and protein-degrading bacteria Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 in group B indicate that biuret is not suitable as a dietary non-protein nitrogen source.

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