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Animals
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Optimizing Rumen Functions for Digestive Efficiency
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Optimizing Rumen Functions for Digestive Efficiency

A Special Issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615) belonging to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 June 2027 | Viewed by 3237

Editor

Dr. Hu Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
Interests: ruminant; nutrition; feeding, microorganisms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, "Optimizing Rumen Functions for Digestive Efficiency," focuses on advancing understanding of rumen microbial ecology and its critical role in ruminant nutrition. The rumen, as a unique microbial–host symbiotic ecosystem in ruminants, is pivotal for nutrient degradation, microbial protein synthesis, and energy supply, directly determining feed utilization efficiency, production performance, and environmental sustainability. This complex system is dynamically regulated by the interplay of rumen microbiota composition, dietary characteristics, and host physiological traits. With the global demands for sustainable livestock production, emerging challenges have arisen: efficient utilization of alternative feed resources (e.g., crop by-products, forages), mitigation of methane emissions from rumen fermentation, and adaptation of rumen functions to precision nutrition strategies. Advances in multi-omics technologies, microbial ecology, and feed processing techniques have accelerated research on rumen microbial metabolism, key functional microbes, and nutrient conversion mechanisms. However, critical gaps remain in regulating rumen microbiota stability, improving fiber degradation efficiency, and balancing nutritional supply with environmental benefits.

This Special Issue invites original research, reviews, and perspectives covering (but not limited to) rumen microbial community regulation, feed preprocessing for enhanced rumen utilization, nutrient–microbe-host interactions, and methane mitigation strategies. We aim to build a platform for integrating theoretical research and practical applications, advancing the frontier of rumen function optimization.

Dr. Hu Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • rumen function optimization
  • ruminant nutrition
  • digestive efficiency
  • rumen microorganisms

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 6395 KB  
Article
Effects of Substitution of Corn with Macadamia integrifolia Husk on Rumen Fermentation Characteristics and Microbial Flora in Goats: An In Vitro Experiment
by Xingyu Chen, Jiancheng Han, Chen Wei, Xiaoyan Deng, Kaibin Chen, Anmiao Chen, Yuanting Yang, Shiyang Huang, Xiaosong Zhang, Hui Zeng, Qian Yang, Hu Liu and Hanlin Zhou
Animals 2026, 16(11), 1729; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16111729 - 4 Jun 2026
Viewed by 489
Abstract
This study was conducted to measure Macadamia integrifolia husk (MIH) as a feed ingredient for goats using an in vitro rumen fermentation system. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic substrates were prepared by using MIH to replace 0, 5%, 10%, or 15% of corn as [...] Read more.
This study was conducted to measure Macadamia integrifolia husk (MIH) as a feed ingredient for goats using an in vitro rumen fermentation system. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic substrates were prepared by using MIH to replace 0, 5%, 10%, or 15% of corn as a dry matter basis, namely MIH0, MIH5, MIH10, and MIH15 groups, respectively. Gas production decreased linearly as corn was replaced by increasing levels of MIH. The DMD decreased linearly at the 24 h and 48 h incubation times as corn was replaced by increasing levels of MIH (p < 0.01). The NDFD decreased linearly at the 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h incubation times as corn was replaced by increasing levels of MIH. At 48 h, pH differed extremely significantly (p < 0.001) and followed a quadratic trend (p < 0.05). The MIH0 group had the highest NH3–N, butyric, and isovaleric acids concentration (p < 0.05); the MIH5 group had the highest MCP, acetic acid, and propionic acid concentration (p < 0.05). Bacteroidota and Pseudomonadota were the dominant phyla in the fermentation fluid at the 48 h incubation timepoint among the four groups. The relative abundance of Kiritimatiellota and Synergistota was highest in the MIH15 group. The relative abundance of Pseudomonadota was highest in the MIH5 group. At the genus level, norank_p_Bacteroidota and Ruminobacter were the dominant genera, and the bacterial community structure differed significantly among the four treatments (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we suggest that the MIH replacing 5% of corn did not affect fermentation, VFA profile, or microbial protein synthesis and it could alter the bacterial communities. Moreover, it is necessary to conduct an in vivo study to investigate the growth performance of goats in a further study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimizing Rumen Functions for Digestive Efficiency)
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16 pages, 6885 KB  
Article
Distinct Rumen Microbial Features and Host Metabolic Responses in Three Cervid Species
by Yuhang Zhu, Yunfei Chai, Sibo Chen, Wenxi Qian, Huazhe Si and Zhipeng Li
Animals 2026, 16(1), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16010116 - 31 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1386
Abstract
Rumen microbiota is pivotal for nutrient metabolism and physiological adaptation in ruminants. This study investigated the rumen microbial community, fermentation parameters, and serum biochemistry of three Cervid species—Sika deer (Cervus nippon), Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), and Milu deer (Elaphurus [...] Read more.
Rumen microbiota is pivotal for nutrient metabolism and physiological adaptation in ruminants. This study investigated the rumen microbial community, fermentation parameters, and serum biochemistry of three Cervid species—Sika deer (Cervus nippon), Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), and Milu deer (Elaphurus davidianus) (n = 5/group)—fed an identical diet. Using 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical analyses, we found that while Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were dominant phyla across species. Sika deer and Milu deer exhibited significantly higher microbial diversity and abundance of carbohydrate-digesting genera (e.g., Butyrivibrio, Saccharofermentans), and pathways of carbohydrate digestion and absorption, starch and sucrose metabolism compared to Reindeer. Conversely, Reindeer showed increased abundances of Lachnospiraceae ND3007 and butyrate metabolism pathway, and significantly elevated rumen volatile fatty acid concentrations, particularly acetate and butyrate. Serum profiling revealed that Milu deer had significantly higher lipid levels (CHO, TG, LDL-C) but lower total protein and AST levels compared to other species. Notably, WGCNA linked these blood lipid traits to host genes enriched in PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and bile secretion pathways. These findings demonstrate distinct species-specific rumen fermentation patterns and host metabolic adaptations, suggesting a coordinated regulation between the rumen microbiome and host genetics in Cervid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimizing Rumen Functions for Digestive Efficiency)
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Review

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16 pages, 4222 KB  
Review
Review: Enteric Methane Emissions Across Physiological Stages and Dietary NDF/NFC Ratios in Holstein Dairy Cattle—Implications for China’s Carbon Mitigation
by Peng Jia, Yan Tu, Naifeng Zhang, Naisheng Lu, Hulong Lei, Xueyuan Jiang and Qiyu Diao
Animals 2026, 16(11), 1684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16111684 - 30 May 2026
Viewed by 824
Abstract
Dairy cattle are a substantial contributor to global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, primarily producing enteric methane through the ruminal anaerobic fermentation of dietary fiber. As China formally pledges to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, accurately quantifying these emissions and developing localized mitigation strategies [...] Read more.
Dairy cattle are a substantial contributor to global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, primarily producing enteric methane through the ruminal anaerobic fermentation of dietary fiber. As China formally pledges to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, accurately quantifying these emissions and developing localized mitigation strategies within the livestock sector has become a critical priority. Enteric methane emissions in dairy cattle are not a static physiological baseline; rather, they represent a highly dynamic phenotype profoundly influenced by an intricate network of physiological and environmental parameters. These include the animal’s age, anatomical and ruminal development, parity, lactation stage, and the precise stoichiometric balance of dietary carbohydrates. This review synthesizes extensive experimental data to construct a robust, scientifically logical framework elucidating the profound physiological mechanisms that govern apparent methane emission parameters. Accordingly, this paper reviews our recent research on methane emissions from Holstein dairy cattle across various ages and lactation stages, including heifers, lactating cows, and dry cows. Furthermore, it extensively evaluates the modulation of methanogenesis under diets with varying neutral detergent fiber to non-fibrous carbohydrate (NDF/NFC) ratios, demonstrating that an increased NDF/NFC ratio is positively correlated with higher enteric methane production, yield, and intensity due to the promotion of acetate-type ruminal fermentation. Ultimately, this review aims to provide robust theoretical support for the accurate quantification of enteric methane emissions and the formulation of precision mitigation strategies tailored to specific physiological states. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimizing Rumen Functions for Digestive Efficiency)
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