Growth and bacterial dynamics of beef calves during transition from milk/pasture to a high-concentrate diet added with tannins or medium-chain fatty acids
S. Yuste A , Z. Amanzougarene A , G. de la Fuente B , M. Fondevila A and A. de Vega
A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
B Departament de Ciència Animal, Universitat de Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, 25198 Lleida, Spain.
C Corresponding author. Email: avega@unizar.es
Animal Production Science 61(12) 1213-1223 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN21043
Submitted: 4 February 2021 Accepted: 5 March 2021 Published: 27 April 2021
Abstract
Context: Rumen fermentation modulation with feed additives during the transition period to high-concentrate diets might help to avoid bacterial dysbiosis.
Aims: Assessing the effects of the addition of tannins and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) to the adaptation diet of beef calves to a high-concentrate ration on the rate of intake, animal performance and rumen bacterial composition.
Methods: Eighteen 7-month-old beef calves were abruptly weaned and transitioned over a 28-day period from a milk/grass regime to one of the following diets: a non-supplemented high-concentrate diet plus wheat straw, both given ad libitum (C); C plus 20 g/kg of a 65:35 chestnut and quebracho tannin extract; and C plus 6 g/kg of a commercial mixture of MCFA. Concentrate and straw rate of intake were recorded. Rumen fluid was collected on Days 0, 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 0, 3, 6 and 9 h after feeding to characterise rumen fermentation. Samples from 0 h were analysed to assess the bacterial population using Ion Torrent sequencing.
Key results: The rate of intake of concentrates and straw, as well as daily gains and final weights, were similar (P > 0.05) among diets. The addition of tannins or MCFA did not modify (P = 0.98) the rumen bacterial population, which was affected by sampling day (P < 0.001). The additives inclusion did not affect relative abundances of the main bacterial taxa (P < 0.05), most of them differing across days (P < 0.001). Diversity indexes (Shannon and richness) declined over sampling days (P < 0.05), although some genera emerged after concentrate inclusion.
Conclusions: At the doses used in the present experiment, tannins and MCFA did not exert any effect on intake, animal performance and bacterial population. Abrupt transition to high-concentrate diets modified the rumen environment and bacterial community, indicating bacterial adaptation to new environmental conditions.
Implications: Abrupt transition of 7-month-old calves from milk/pasture to a high-concentrate diet did not impair rumen microbiota or performance; therefore, the use of feed additives seems unnecessary.
Keywords: modulation of fermentation, rumen acidosis, rumen bacteria.
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