Effect of Diet on the Rumen Microbial Community Composition of Finishing Cattle and the Role it Plays in Methane Emissions

Authors

Allison L. Knoell, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Christopher L. Anderson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Anna C. Pesta Pesta, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Galen E. Erickson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Terry J. Klopfenstein, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2016

Citation

2016 Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Comments

© The Board Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

Abstract

To understand the relationships between diet, microbial community, and methane production cattle were esophageally tubed when fed a common diet and again during feeding of six treatment diets. Microbial community analysis via 16S tag sequencing, displayed structuring of microbial communities (Bacteria and Archaea) by diet. Th is study demonstrates that the diets tested altered the microbial community from the common diet but had no effect (P > 0.05) between dietary treatments used in the study. While the microbial community changed from the common diet to the treatments was observed, an alteration in microbial community or methane production was not observed due to fat source.