Microbial ecology of the rumen: impact on nutrition and the environment

John Wallace

© R.J. Wallace 2004

Rowett picture“We bring together extensive capabilities and expertise in nutritional research to pursue cutting edge science aimed at

preventing disease and improving health through good nutrition. We aim to provide robust nutritional evidence to guide food

and health policies.

• Introduction to the rumen and its microorganisms

• Impact of the rumen on nutrition• Ruminants and the environment• Ruminant products and human health

Microbial ecology of the rumen: impact on nutrition and the environment

Cow picture

The rumen

CATTLE AND SHEEP

Stomach(Abomasum)

Rumen

Reticulum

Omasum

Jejunum

Ileum

Colon

Caecum

PIG

Stomach

Jejunum

Ileum

Caecum

Colon

Gut anatomy

Rumen ciliate protozoa

100 m

Fungal picture

Rumen anaerobic fungi

50 m

Fungal picture

© R.J. Wallace 2004

Rowett picture

1 m

Rumen bacteria

ProteobacteriaM ethanomicrobium mobile (M59142)

0.1

82 .7

88 .3

Proteobacter ia (OTUs 1-3)

Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bactero ides Group (OTUs 6-78)

Low G+C Gram Positive Bacteria (OTUs 80-174)

Fibrobacter Group (OTU 175)High G+C Gram Positive Bacteria (OTUs 176 &177)Chlamydiales-Verrucimicrobia Group (OTUs 1 78 & 179)Spirochaetes (180)

Phylum? (OT U 4)

Phylum? (OTU 5)

Phylum? (OTU 79)

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

High bacterial diversity

Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides [CFB]

Proteobacteria

Low G+C Gram positive

High G+C Gram positive, Fibrobacter,Spirochaetes, etc

Rumen methanogenic archaea

1 m

109 - 1010 BACTERIA

Up to 106 PROTOZOA

?? ANAEROBIC FUNGI

108 ARCHAEA

per g digesta

FOOD

UNDIGESTED FOOD +

MICROORGANISMS

ACETATE

VFA PROPIONATE

BUTYRATEMETHANE

Metabolism in the rumen

• Introduction to the rumen and its microorganisms

• Impact of the rumen on nutrition• Ruminants and the environment• Ruminant products and human health

Microbial ecology of the rumen: impact on nutrition and the environment

Fibre breakdownRuminococcus flavefaciens

Fibrobacter succinogenes

Protein metabolism

Protein

Peptides

Amino acids

Ammonia

Ammonia

Undegraded food protein +

Microbial protein

Food protein

Microbial protein

B

A

Urea

INEFFICIENCES

Loss of N Microbial protein breakdown

Amino acid imbalance

B

C

A

C

Breakdown of microbial protein

Sample R038

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 1 2 3

Incubation time (h)

Rat

e of

deg

rada

tion

(%)

Control

5000

3000

1500

1000

500

Concentration (ppm)

Lonicera japonica (Japanese

honeysuckle)

Rumen-up: influence on protozoal activity in vitro

Methane, ruminants and the environment

Methane, ruminants and the environment

•

How much is methane a problem as a greenhouse gas?

•

Is methane from ruminants really a major part of the problem ?

•

How does methane formation occur?•

How can we inhibit methane formation?

•

Encapsulated fumaric acid, efficacy and commercial considerations

Greenhouse gases: CO2

Methane as a greenhouse gas

CH4 has a global warming potential (“radiative forcing”) 21 times that of CO2

Methane contributes approximately 18% to the overall global warming effectUS Environmental Protection Agency, 2000

Methane as a greenhouse gas

Dlugokencky et al., 2003

t½

of CH4

in atmosphere is 12 years

70% of global methane formation is due to man's activities

Sources of atmospheric methane

US Environmental Protection Agency, 2001

Therefore, 20% of global methane formation is due to ruminants

Sources of atmospheric methane

US Environmental Protection Agency, 2001

And so 20% of the 18% = 3.6% of the total radiative forcing is caused by ruminants

Sources of atmospheric methane

US Environmental Protection Agency, 2001

Ruminants, cars and methane

164 g CO2

/km at 19,000 km/year= 164

19000 g CO2

/year= 3

106 g CO2

/year

=

500 L CH4

/day = 365

500 L/year

= 2

105

L/year= 2

16/22

105

g/year= 1.5

105 g/year

21

1.5

105 g CO2

/year

3

106 g CO2

/year

Ruminants, cars and methane

=

Ruminants, cars and methane

=

The New Zealand response

Carbon tax As part of the Climate Change Policy Package, released in 2002, the government will be introducing a carbon tax in New Zealand from April 1, 2007. Hon. Pete Hodgson, Convener of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change, has announced that the carbon tax will be set at $15 per tonne of CO2

and has released a consultation paper on the implementation of the tax.

Methane production in ruminants

95%5%

Fermentation

H2 + CO2

CH4

Protozoa, fungi, eubacteria

Archaea

Methane production in ruminants

Inhibition of methane formation

•

Halogenated hydrocarbons•

Other chemicals

•

Ionophores•

Acetogenesis

•

Immunisation•

Defaunation

•

Natural plant extracts•

Organic acids

Fermentation

H2 + CO2

CH4

[Organic acid + ]

Propionic acid

Decreasing methane emission using “organic acids”

COOH

C=O

CH2

COOH

Organic acids

COOH

CHOH

CH2

COOH

COOH

CH

CH

COOH

COOH

CH2

CH2

COOH

2H 2H

H2 O

Oxaloacetate Malate Fumarate Succinate

Propionate

COOH

COOHH

H

Bakeshure 451

Bakeshure 451 –

Consists of 85% fumaric acid and 15% partially

hydrogenated soybean oil

05

10152025

Feed Additive

Met

hane

Pr

oduc

tion

(L/d

)

Control Fumaric AcidBakeshure 451

Large scale feeding trial in Aberystwyth

LALNA

Saturated fatty acids

BIOHYDROGENATION

unsaturated saturated

LALNA

C18:2 c9 c12

C18:3 c9 c12 c15

Health implications of biohydrogenation in the rumen

LNA – linolenic acidLA – linoleic acid

CLA Stimulates Immune Response

Helps Prevent Heart Disease

Helps Prevent Cancer

Health implications of biohydrogenation in the rumen

0 2 4 6 8

Beef

Veal

Lamb

Milk

Cheese

Butter

Cream

Beef tallow

Fish

Chicken

Pork

Egg yolk

Olive oil

Corn oil

Sunflower oil

CLA content of fat (mg/g)

CLA in foods

To provide 10 g of CLA/day requires 3.6 kg cheese

CLA in foods

Rumen Animal tissues

C C C C C

C C C C C

2H conjugatedlinoleic acid

vaccenicacid

C C C C C

9 12C C C CC

C C C C C

2H

C C C C C

2H

linoleic acid

conjugatedlinoleic acid

vaccenicacid

stearic acid

Effects on biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids

C C C C C

9 12C C C CC

C C C C C

2H

C C C C C

2H

linoleic acid

conjugatedlinoleic acid

vaccenicacid

stearic acid

cis

cis cis

trans

trans

19 samples with activity against B. proteoclasticus but not B. fibrisolvens

Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens

Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus

EC FP6Promotion of Safe, Healthy Food

Replacing antibiotics in animal feed

0

50

100

150

200

0 6 12 18 24Time (h)

Fatty

aci

d co

ncen

tratio

n (µ

g/m

L)

Vaccenic acid accumulates in the rumen

+ C. coronarium

- C. coronarium

Chrysanthemum coronarium

• C. coronarium inhibits last step in biohydrogenation process

• C. coronarium increases PUFA and CLA content of milk

Tracy’s Vision of the Future

Inhibition of methane formation

•

Defaunation–

Decreases methane formation by 20%

H2 CH4

Acetate

Glucose

Pyruvate Methanogens

Hydrogenosomes

Intracellular Hydrogen Transfer inCiliate Protozoa

H2CH4

H2

Defaunation

technically difficultAdaptation will always be a problem