Indicators of induced subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in Danish Holstein cows

We investigated changes in rumen fermentation, peripheral blood metabolites and hormones, and hepatic transcriptomic dynamics in Holstein cows with and those without subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) during the periparturient period. Sixteen multiparous Holstein cows were categorized in the SARA (n-=-8) or non-SARA (n-=-8) groups depending on whether they developed SARA during the 2 weeks after parturition. Reticulo-ruminal pH was measured continuously throughout the study. Rumen fluid, blood, and liver tissue samples were collected at 3 weeks prepartum and 2 and 6 weeks postpartum, with an additional blood sample collected at 0 and 4 weeks postpartum. The 1-h mean pH was depressed postpartum in both groups, whereas depression was more severe in the SARA group simultaneously with significantly longer duration of time (for pH <5.6 and 5.8). Significant expression of differentially expressed genes in liver tissue (DEGs; false discovery rate corrected P-<-0.1) were identified only in the non-SARA group, and were further analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. Among the top expressed DEGs, the hepatic genes encoding lipid and cholesterol secretion (APOA1, APOA4, and G0S2) and gluconeogenesis (PC, G6PC, and PCK1) were upregulated postpartum. In silico analysis revealed the significant postpartum activation of upstream regulators, such as INSR, PPARG, and PPARGC1A. These results suggested that hepatic transcriptomic responsiveness to postpartum metabolic load and hormones were likely discouraged in cows with SARA when compared to the significant activation of genes and signaling pathways for adequate metabolic adaption to postpartum high-grain diet feeding in Holstein cows without SARA.

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Notice of RETRACTION: “Changes in rumen fermentation, bacterial community, and predicted functional pathway in Holstein cows with and without subacute ruminal acidosis during the periparturient period” (J. Dairy Sci. 103:4702–4716)

Journal of Dairy Science ◽

10.3168/jds.2021-104-1-1232 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 104 (1) ◽

pp. 1232

Author(s):

Yoshiyuki Tsuchiya ◽

Ena Chiba ◽

Toshihisa Sugino ◽

Kenji Kawashima ◽

Toshiya Hasunuma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Community ◽

Rumen Fermentation ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽

Ruminal Acidosis ◽

Periparturient Period ◽

Functional Pathway

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Metagenomic Insight: Dietary Thiamine Supplementation Promoted the Growth of Carbohydrate-Associated Microorganisms and Enzymes in the Rumen of Saanen Goats Fed High-Concentrate Diets

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030632 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 632

Author(s):

Ying Zhang ◽

Chao Wang ◽

Along Peng ◽

Hao Zhang ◽

Hongrong Wang

Keyword(s):

Control Diet ◽

Starch Degradation ◽

Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽

Ruminal Acidosis ◽

Fiber Degradation ◽

Rumen Ph ◽

Carbohydrate Degradation ◽

Ruminal Microbiota ◽

New Perspective ◽

The Relationship

Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is often caused by feeding a high-concentrate diet in intensive ruminant production. Although previous studies have shown that dietary thiamine supplementation can effectively increase rumen pH and modify rumen fermentation, the effect of thiamine supplementation on rumen carbohydrate-related microorganisms and enzymes in goats under SARA conditions remain unclear. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary thiamine supplementation on carbohydrate-associated microorganisms and enzymes in the rumen of Saanen goats fed high-concentrate diets. Nine healthy mid-lactating Saanen goats in parity 1 or 2 were randomly assigned into three treatments: A control diet (CON; concentrate:forage (30:70)), a high-concentrate diet (HC; concentrate:forage (70:30)), and a high-concentrate diet with 200 mg of thiamine/kg of DMI (HCT; concentrate:forage (70:30)). Compared with the HC group, dietary thiamine supplementation improved ruminal microbes associated with fiber, including Prevotella, Fibrobacter, Neocallimastix, and Piromyces (p < 0.05). In addition, an increase in the relative abundance of enzymes involved in both fiber degradation and starch degradation, such as CBM16, GH3, and GH97, was observed in the HCT treatment. (p < 0.05). Thus, thiamine supplementation can improve carbohydrate metabolism by increasing the abundance of the microorganisms and enzymes involved in carbohydrate degradation. In conclusion, this study revealed the relationship between ruminal microbiota and enzymes, and these findings contributed to solving the problems arising from the high-concentrate feeding in ruminant production and to providing a new perspective on ruminant health.

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Subacute Ruminal Acidosis in Zebu Cattle: Clinical and Behavioral Aspects

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11010021 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Natalia Sato Minami ◽

Rejane Santos Sousa ◽

Francisco Leonardo Costa Oliveira ◽

Mailson Rennan Borges Dias ◽

Débora Aparecida Cassiano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feeding Behavior ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽

Clinical Aspects ◽

Zebu Cattle ◽

Subacute Ruminal Acidosis ◽

Ruminal Ph ◽

Ruminal Acidosis ◽

Citrus Pulp ◽

Lactic Acids

We evaluated the clinical aspects and feeding behavior of cattle with subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) caused by short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Ten healthy Nelore heifers were subjected to an adjusted SARA induction protocol using citrus pulp (CP). Clinical examinations were performed at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 h intervals after induction, with ruminal fluid, blood, and feces sampling. The animals’ feeding behavior was evaluated on, before, and for 3 days after SARA by observing the animals every 5 min for 24 h. The dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded daily. The ruminal pH during SARA was always lower than baseline, with an acidotic duration of 547 ± 215 min, a minimum pH of 5.38 ± 0.16, and an average pH of 5.62 ± 0.1. SARA was mainly caused by SCFAs (maximum 118.4 ± 9.3 mmol/L), with the production of l-lactic acids (7.17 mmol/L) and d-lactic acids (0.56 mmol/L) 6 h after the experiment began. The DMI was reduced by 66% and 48% on days 1 and 2, respectively, and returned to normal levels on day 3. SARA caused a reduction in feed intake and rumination time, as well as an increase in the time spent in decubitus on days 1 and 2. These results were influenced by the ruminal pH, ruminal movement, and osmolarity. Furthermore, SARA caused different degrees of depression, which became more pronounced with higher ruminal lactic acid concentrations.

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