Special Issue "Nutrients and Feed Additives in Modulating Rumen Microbiome"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alexandros Mavrommatis
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Biosciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, GR-11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: microalgae; rumen; antioxidant; fatty acids; DHA; microbiome; methane; dairy; milk; oxidative; immune; genes; goats; sheep; ewes; cows; NDF; digestibility
Prof. Dr. Eleni Tsiplakou
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Department of Animal Science, School of Animal Biosciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, GR-11855 Athens, Greece
Interests: ruminant nutrition; feed additives; fatty acids; antioxidants; sheep and goats; dairy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to population growth rate predictions, the global population is anticipated to reach 9.15 billion by 2050. Consequently, both dairy products and meat consumption are expected to increase in 2050 by 58% and 73%, respectively, compared to their 2010 levels, due to the aforementioned demands. At the same time, methane (CH4) emissions are expected to rise by 30% until 2050, as a result of meat and milk increasing demands if mitigation strategies are not implemented. Hence, concern on the unbalanced nature of this growth and its attendant environmental and socioeconomic consequences are rapidly increasing. These current challenges require the design of multidisciplinary approach strategies, particularly to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and improve animal productivity and product quality. Several bioactive compounds such as seaweed, microalgae, agro-industrial byproducts, essential oils, oilseeds, phytogenic, etc. are studied as rumen engineering tools capable of shaping future livestock.

However, multitargeted strategies require holistic tools too. In this light, the advent of metaomics techniques such as the 16S rRNA sequencing provides a much broader genomic and functional perspective in rumen microbial ecology.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present recent research and reviews focused on the impact of novel feed additives and bioactive compounds on rumen microbiome communities. The Special Issue is not narrowed out to the cataloging of rumen microbial populations rather than an in-depth understanding of their biochemical function related to environmental impact, feed efficiency, product quality, and its perspective as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity genes.

We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Alexandros Mavrommatis
Prof. Dr. Eleni Tsiplakou
Guest Editors

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 papers will be 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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 monthly 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 1800 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

  • 16S rRNA
  • metagenomics
  • metatranscriptomics
  • methane mitigation strategies
  • application of molecular techniques
  • feed efficiency
  • archaea
  • protozoa
  • ruminant nutrition
  • cattle
  • sheep and goats
  • functional dairy products
  • antimicrobial resistance

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

Review
Selected Alternative Feed Additives Used to Manipulate the Rumen Microbiome
Animals 2021, 11(6), 1542; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061542 - 25 May 2021
Viewed by 1585
Abstract
In recent years, a boost in the ruminant population has been observed, and consequently, an increase in the animals’ demand for nutrients and methane emissions. Methane emission is generated during the microbial fermentation of feed in the rumen, and a percentage even up [...] Read more.
In recent years, a boost in the ruminant population has been observed, and consequently, an increase in the animals’ demand for nutrients and methane emissions. Methane emission is generated during the microbial fermentation of feed in the rumen, and a percentage even up to 12% of the energy obtained by this process can be wasted. In addition, the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is being increasingly restricted. restricted. As a result, there is a continuous search for innovative feed additives that can serve as alternatives to antibiotics, and will also be safe for both people and the environment. In the present review article, additives were selected on basis that, according to studies conducted so far, may positively affect the microbiome of the digestive system by improving indicators and/or reducing methane production. Among them, probiotics, prebiotics or their combination—synbiotics are at the forefront of research. However, additives in the form of algae or plant origin are also gaining ground in popularity, such as essential oils, fermented wheat straw or Gelidium amansii, due to their general recognition as safe (GRAS) for both humans and environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrients and Feed Additives in Modulating Rumen Microbiome)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Effect of Buckwheat Hull Extract on in vitro Rumen Fermentation and Microbial Community Structure
Author: Naoki Fukuma
Abstract: Buckwheat hulls are agricultural by-products come out within husking process for buckwheat flour, and are known to contain flavonoids. In this study, we investigate the effect of buckwheat hulls extract (BHE) on in vitro rumen fermentation and microbial profile under three different dietary conditions (80:20, 50:50 and 20:80 of forage to concentrate ratio). Rumen fluid collected from fistulated cattle was mixed with each diet and incubated at 39℃ for 48 hours with/without 5% of total culture volume of BHE supplementation. The significant effects of BHE were observed only in high concentrate dietary condition (F:C = 20:80) in our study. Acetate and total SCFAs production were significantly increased, and butyrate production was also tended to be increased by BHE supplementation. The decline tendency of propionate proportion by BHE was also observed when compared to the Control. The relative abundance of unclassified Bacteroidales, Clostridiales, and Ruminococcaceae was higher, and also increased tendency of genus Butyrivibrio was observed in BHE treatment. On the other hand, the relative abundance of genera Streptococcus, Ruminococcus and Pseudobutyrivibrio was lower with BHE supplementation. These microbial shift could lead to alteration of rumen fermentation profiles by BHE addition. Our results suggest that BHE could be a candidate as a modulator of rumen fermentation under high concentrate diet.
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