Application of Molecular Techniques to Better Understand the Roles of Rumen Microbiota in Cattle Feed Efficiency

Abstract

Feed efficiency, simply expressed as less feed inputs versus animal production outputs, can be measured in several ways, such as feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI). FCR is a common measurement in beef cattle operations, and is the ratio of feed intake to live-weight gain. RFI is defined as the difference between actual and predicted feed intake after taking into account variability in maintenance and growth requirements. Rumen microbiota, which inludes bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and fungi, play an essential role in the digestion of lignocellulosic plant biomass, and can provide more than 70% of the host ruminants energy requirements via the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), is produced in large quantities by the rumen microbiota, and is a known contributor to the global increase in GHG emissions. Studies have shown a negative relationship between methane emission and feed efficiency. Therefore, there is a need to study the feed efficiency from a rumen microbiome perspective and explore the probability of improving feed efficiency and hence reduce methane production in cattle by manipulating the rumen microbiome. The development of high-throughput sequencing technologies incuding metagenomics and metatranscriptomic analyses in the past decade has led to a sharp increase in understanding the rumen microbiota and associated function. As such, this mini-review will focus on the new findings during the last decade in cattle feed efficiency and the rumen microbiome.