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Fermentation
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Ruminal Fermentation: 2nd Edition
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Ruminal Fermentation: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Metabolism, Physiology & Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 2088

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Cláudia Braga Pereira Bento

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Unaí, Brazil
Interests: alternative additives; antimicrobials; beef and dairy cattle; composition of ruminal microbiota; deamination; nitrogen metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The success of ruminant animals is associated with their ability to digest fiber-rich plant material. Although ruminants do not secrete digestive enzymes in the rumen, a number of various microorganisms, including bacteria, methanogenic archaea, anaerobic fungi, and protozoa, which live in symbiosis with the host, are capable of performing ruminal fermentation and hydrolyzing soluble and insoluble carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids from the diet.

Ruminal fermentation is the result of the balance of interactions among the different species of microorganisms present in the rumen. It is the outcome of microbiological activities responsible for converting food components (carbohydrates and nitrogen) into products used in animal metabolism, such as volatile organic acids (VOAs), microbial proteins, and B vitamins. This process also produces substances not utilized by the animal (CH4 and CO2), which are physiologically eliminated and represent energy losses.

The proportion and quantity of by-products resulting from the ruminal fermentation process depend on various factors, such as the type of feed, the manner in which the feed is offered, balanced diets, the use of feed additives, and physiological factors related to the ruminal environment, such as temperature, pH, and redox potential.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish both recent innovative research results and review papers that assess ruminal fermentation both in vitro and in vivo using different strategies aimed not only at improving the health and performance of ruminants but also at playing a role in mitigating climate change by reducing ammonia production and greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane. If you would like to contribute a review paper, please contact one of the editors to discuss the topic's relevance before submitting the manuscript.

Prof. Dr. Cláudia Braga Pereira Bento
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 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. Fermentation 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 2100 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

  • ammoniacal nitrogen
  • animal nutrition
  • antimicrobials
  • enteric methane
  • environmental impact
  • feed additives
  • feed efficiency
  • next-generation sequencing
  • rumen parameters
  • ruminal microbiota
  • ruminants

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 5748 KB  
Article
Metatranscriptome Analysis of Sheep Rumen Reveals Methane Production Changes Induced by Moringa oleifera as a Dietary Supplement
by Alicia Alejandra Grijalva-Hinojos, Vicente Arnau, Wladimiro Díaz, Samuel Piquer, Daniel Díaz-Plascencia, Yamicela Castillo-Castillo, Joel Domínguez-Viveros and Perla Lucia Ordoñez-Baquera
Fermentation 2025, 11(10), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11100568 - 1 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1059
Abstract
Global warming has become a significant public health concern, with intensive livestock farming as a major contributor. To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, strategies such as manipulating the ruminal environment with dietary additives are essential. This study evaluated Moringa oleifera, a globally widespread [...] Read more.
Global warming has become a significant public health concern, with intensive livestock farming as a major contributor. To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, strategies such as manipulating the ruminal environment with dietary additives are essential. This study evaluated Moringa oleifera, a globally widespread tree with antioxidant, multivitamin, protein-rich, and anti-inflammatory properties, as a feed additive. Rumen fluid was collected from three Pelibuey sheep, homogenized, and subjected to an in vitro fermentation study for 48 h with three alfalfa/moringa ratio treatments: T0 Control (100:0), T1 Low (85:15), and T2 High (70:30). Total RNA was extracted, followed by high-definition sequencing of the metatranscriptome. The sequencing yielded approximately 456 million sequences. A total of 117 phyla were identified and approximately 1300 genera were mapped. Predominant phylum differed by treatment: T0, Firmicutes; T1, Proteobacteria; and T2 with Synergistetes, at least one sample per treatment. Archaea were nearly absent in T1, which explains a statistically significant decrease in methane production. In the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), it was observed that one of the metabolic pathways with a statistically significant difference (p-value < 0.05) was that of methane, specifically in the low moringa treatment (T1) compared to the control (T0). From the functional analysis, differentially expressed enzymes were identified, some of which are involved in the methane metabolic pathway, such as formate dehydrogenase (EC 1.17.1.9) and glycine hydroxymethyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.1), which are intermediates in methane formation. These results suggest that 15% Moringa oleifera supplementation alters ruminal microbiota, reduces archaeal activity, and suppresses methane-related pathways. These findings provide molecular evidence supporting the potential of M. oleifera as a methane mitigation strategy in ruminant nutrition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminal Fermentation: 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 1919 KB  
Article
Degradation of Microplastics in an In Vitro Ruminal Environment
by Sonia Tassone, Rabeb Issaoui, Valentina Balestra, Salvatore Barbera, Marta Fadda, Hatsumi Kaihara, Sara Glorio Patrucco, Stefania Pragliola, Vincenzo Venditto and Khalil Abid
Fermentation 2025, 11(8), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11080445 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 811
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging concern in ruminant production, as animals are exposed to MPs through air, water, and feeds. Ruminants play a key role in MP transmission to humans via animal products and contribute to MP return to agricultural soil through [...] Read more.
Microplastic (MP) pollution is an emerging concern in ruminant production, as animals are exposed to MPs through air, water, and feeds. Ruminants play a key role in MP transmission to humans via animal products and contribute to MP return to agricultural soil through excreta. Identifying effective strategies to mitigate MP pollution in the ruminant sector is crucial. A promising yet understudied approach involves the potential ability of rumen microbiota to degrade MPs. This study investigated the in vitro ruminal degradation of three widely distributed MPs—low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyamide (PA)—over 24, 48, and 72 h. PET MP exhibited the highest degradation rates (24 h: 0.50 ± 0.070%; 48 h: 0.73 ± 0.057%; and 72 h: 0.96 ± 0.082%), followed by LDPE MP (24 h: 0.03 ± 0.020%; 48 h: 0.25 ± 0.053%; and 72 h: 0.56 ± 0.066%) and PA MP (24 h: 0.10 ± 0.045%; 48 h: 0.02 ± 0.015%; and 72 h: 0.14 ± 0.067%). These findings suggest that the ruminal environment could serve as a promising tool for LDPE, PET, and PA MPs degradation. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms involved, potentially enhancing ruminants’ natural capacity to degrade MPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ruminal Fermentation: 2nd Edition)
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