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The digestibility of crude fiber (CF) in rice straw of buffalo and cattle. ** means extremely significant difference (P < 0.01). Data are presented as mean ± standard error
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So far, few animals with the ability of lignin degradation have been reported except termite and longicorn. In this study, it was found that the crude fiber and acid detergent lignin (ADL) of rice straw can be degraded dramatically higher by buffalo than those by cattle. In order to further study this ability of buffalo, the digestion of roughages...
Citations
... Buffalo exhibits better adaptation to hot and humid tropics than other cattle for their greater resistance to heat, certain diseases, and pests. In addition, buffalo also have a greater ability to digest roughage, especially when the roughage is of low quality (Hussain and Cheeke, 1996;Xu et al., 2021). ...
... Buffalo exhibited greater in situ ruminal degradation of straw than Holstein, as indicated by greater a and ED of DM and NDF, together with greater c of fraction b in our study. Xu et al. (2021) reported that buffalo exhibit greater in situ ruminal fiber degradation of rice straw than other cattle. In vitro ruminal batch culture indicates that inoculating rumen fluid from buffalo has greater NDF and ADF degradation of steam-treated sugarcane than that from Holstein cattle (Jabari et al., 2014). ...
Buffalo exhibits great efficiency in utilizing low-quality roughage, which can be due to the combined effect of host physiological feature and roughage diet fed. The present study was designed to compare the ruminal fiber degradation and the bacterial community attached to straws in buffalo and Holstein when fed with the same high-roughage diet using in situ ruminal incubation technique. Rice and wheat straws were selected as the incubation substrates and sampled at 0, 4, 12, 24, 48, 72, 120, and 216 h of incubation time to measure the kinetics of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) disappearance. Additional two bags were incubated and sampled at 4 and 48 h of incubation time to evaluate the bacterial community attached to straws. The results showed that buffalo exhibited a greater ( p ≤ 0.05) fraction of rapidly soluble and washout nutrients and effective ruminal disappearance for both DM and NDF of straw than Holstein, together with a greater ( p ≤ 0.05) disappearance rate of potentially degradable nutrient fraction for NDF. Principal coordinate analysis indicated that both host and incubation time altered the bacterial communities attached to straws. Buffalo exhibited greater ( p ≤ 0.05) 16S rRNA gene copies of bacteria and greater ( p ≤ 0.05) relative abundance of Ruminococcus attached to straw than Holstein. Prolonging incubation time increased ( p ≤ 0.05) the 16S rRNA gene copies of bacteria, and the relative abundance of phyla Proteobacteria and Fibrobacters by comparing 4 vs. 48 h of incubation time. In summary, buffalo exhibits greater ruminal fiber degradation than Holstein through increasing bacterial population and enriching Ruminococcus , while prolonging incubation time facilitates fiber degradation through enriching phyla Proteobacteria and Fibrobacteres.
... Buffalos have a strong tolerance to roughage, and were reported as the first mammal to degrade lignin efficiently [22]. Studies found that the digestibility of crude protein, dry matter and organic matter in rice straw roughage in the buffalo rumen was significantly higher than in cattle, and the utilisation of acid detergent fibre was also more efficient [23,24]. ...
... Because of the intake of roughage with high fibre, some bacteria with lignin degradation ability have been naturally selected over time, so that buffalos have developed a unique rumen microflora in the long-term domestication process. In a previous study, buffalo lignin-degrading capacity was first demonstrated, and the buffalo was found to be the first mammal with the ability to degrade lignin [22]. Strains with the potential of degrading lignin were isolated from buffalo rumen [25]; however, Wang et al. did not carry out further studies. ...
The buffalo is an amazing ruminant. Its ability to degrade lignin, which has been recently reported, is most likely due to unique rumen microorganisms with lignin-degradation potential. Our goal was to explore the lignin-degradation potential of ruminal microorganisms, in which ligninolytic enzyme encoding genes were involved to provide ideas for revealing the mechanism of lignin degradation by buffalo. In this study, a bacterium strain identified as Bacillus cereus AH7-7 was isolated from the buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) rumen. After whole-genome sequencing, the results demonstrated that B. cereus AH7-7 had laccase, cytochrome P450 and vanillin alcohol oxidase-encoding genes. Sixty-four genes of B. cereus AH7-7 were involved in multiple aromatic metabolic pathways, such as phenylalanine metabolism and aminobenzoate degradation. A positive reaction resulting in guaiacol medium indicated that laccase secretion from B. cereus AH7-7 increased with time. A biodegradation experiment revealed that a significant reduction in kraft lignin content (25.9%) by B. cereus AH7-7 occurred at the end of 6 days of incubation, which confirmed its lignin-degradation capacity. Overall, this is the first report showing that B. cereus AH7-7 from the buffalo rumen can degrade lignin, and revealing the encoding genes of lignin-degrading enzymes from genome level.
... Xu and Zhong found that when ingesting the same forage with high fiber and low protein, buffalo showed higher dry mater intake and stronger growth performance than cattle. By conducting comparative experiments between buffalo and cattle, they reported that buffalo could degrade lignin efficiently but cattle cannot [3]; however, the studies focusing on this area are scarce. In rumen, lignin limits microbial enzymatic access to lignocellulose, which affects roughage digestibility [4] and closely disturbs the utilization extent. ...
... In addition to biodegradable fiber, the results also proved the ADL degradability in eight kinds of roughage by buffalo. The above results are consistent with Xu and Zhong's study [3]. They brought forward that buffalo had lignin degradation by comparing buffalo and cattle and found that the ADL degradation rate of rice straw in buffalo rumen was significantly higher than that in cattle rumen. ...
The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is known for its unique utilization of low-quality fibrous feeds and outstanding digestion performance, highlighting its role as an animal model in studying fiber fractions degradation. Among roughage, lignin attracted wide attention in ruminant nutrition studies, which affects animal digestibility. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the functional relation between three lignin monomeric compositions of coniferyl alcohol (G), ρ-coumaryl alcohol (H) and sinapyl alcohol (S) and ruminal fiber degradation in water buffalo. Hence, three female water buffaloes (Nili-Ravi × Mediterranean, five years old, 480 ± 20 kg) were assigned for an in vivo study by utilizing the nylon-bag method, examining eight kinds of roughage. All the experimental roughage types were analyzed for the effective degradability (ED) of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), cellulose (CEL) and hemicellulose (HC) fractions. Then, prediction models for the roughage fiber degradation were established based on the characteristics of lignin monomer content. The results showed that S, S/G and S/(G+S+H) were positively correlated with the ED of NDF, ADF, CEL and HC; H/S was negatively correlated. For the effective degradability of ADL (ADLD), S and S/(G+S+H) were positively correlated with it; H, H/G, H/S and H/(G+S+H) were negatively correlated. The model with the highest fitting degree was ADLD = 0.161 − 1.918 × H + 3.152 × S (R2 = 0.758, p < 0.01). These results indicated that the lignin monomer composition is closely related to the utilization rate of roughage fiber. S-type lignin monomer plays a vital role in the fiber degradation of roughage. The experiment found the effect of lignin monomer composition on the degradation of fiber fractions using buffalo as the experimental animal and constructed prediction models, providing a scientific basis for building a new technological method using lignin composition to evaluate buffalo roughage. Furthermore, the capacity of ADL degradation of buffalo was proved in this experiment. In order to further explore the ability of lignin degradation by the buffalo, the DNA of rumen microorganisms was extracted for sequencing. The top three composition of rumen microorganisms at the genus level were Prevotella_1, 226, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-011. Six strains with lignin degradation ability were screened from buffalo rumen contents. This experiment also revealed that the buffalos possess rumen microorganisms with lignin degradation potential.
Agustina S, Wiryawan KG, Suharti S, Meryandini A. 2024. The addition of anaerobic fungi isolates from buffalo rumen to increase fiber digestibility, fermentation, and microbial population in ruminants. Biodiversitas 25: 107-115. Rumen microbes have an important role in the rumen. Anaerobic fungi are microbes needed in the forage digestion process in the rumen. The addition of microbes, particularly anaerobic fungi is essential to increase the digestibility of forage within rumen. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the addition of anaerobic fungi isolates from buffalo rumen to increase fiber digestibility, fermentation, and microbial population in sheep rumen. The in vitro tests were carried out using the Tilley and Terry method, using elephant grass and rice straw as tested forage. Piromyces sp. (F1, and F3), Caecomyces sp. (F2, and F5), and Neocallimastix frontalis (F4) isolates from buffalo rumen were used as tested anaerobic fungi. The result showed that the addition of anaerobic fungi isolates from buffalo rumen significantly affected fiber digestibility (Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose) except lignin digestibility. The addition of N. frontalis had higher fiber digestibility which is 49.02% NDF digestibility, 42.11% ADF digestibility, 44.28% hemicellulose digestibility, and 38.60% cellulose digestibility. Furthermore, N. frontalis also significantly increased In vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD), In vitro Organic Matter Digestibility (IVOMD), ammonium (NH3) production, total Volatile Fatty Acid (VFA) production, and microbial population compared to Piromyces sp., and Caecomyces sp. In conclusion, anaerobic fungus type N. frontalis showed promising potential to be used as a ruminant probiotic due to its superior effect on fiber digestibility, fermentation, and microbial population compared to Caecomyces sp. and Piromyces sp.
This study aimed to isolate and identify a ligninolytic bacterium from the rumen of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and investigate its effects as a silage additive for whole-plant rape. Three lignin-degradation strains were isolated from the buffalo rumen, with AH7-7 being chosen for further experiments. Strain AH7-7, with acid tolerance and a 51.4% survival rate at pH 4, was identified as Bacillus cereus. It exhibited a lignin-degradation rate of 20.5% after being inoculated in a lignin-degrading medium for 8 days. We divided the rape into four groups according to the various additive compositions to examine the fermentation quality, nutritional value, and bacterial community after ensiling: Bc group (inoculated with B. cereus AH7-7 3.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1), Blac group (inoculated with B. cereus AH7-7 1.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1, L. plantarum 1.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1, and L. buchneri 1.0 × 106 CFU g FW-1), Lac group (inoculated with L. plantarum 1.5 × 106 CFU g FW-1 and L. buchneri 1.5 × 106 CFU g FW-1), and Ctrl group (no additives). After 60 days of fermentation, the application of B. cereus AH7-7 was potent in modulating the fermentation quality of silage, especially when combined with L. plantarum and L. buchneri, as indicated by lower dry matter loss and higher contents of crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrate, and lactic acid. Furthermore, treatments with the B. cereus AH7-7 additive decreased the contents of acid detergent lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. The B. cereus AH7-7 additive treatments reduced the bacterial diversity and optimized the bacterial community compositions of silage, with an increase in the relative abundance of beneficial Lactobacillus and a decrease in the relative abundance of undesirable Pantoea and Erwinia. Functional prediction revealed that inoculation with B. cereus AH7-7 could increase the cofactors and vitamins metabolism, amino acid metabolism, translation, replication and repair, and nucleotide metabolism, while decreasing the carbohydrate metabolism, membrane transport, and energy metabolism. In brief, B. cereus AH7-7 improved the microbial community, fermentation activity, and ultimately the quality of silage. The ensiling with B. cereus AH7-7, L. plantarum, and L. buchneri combination is an effective and practical strategy to improve the fermentation and nutrition preservation of rape silage.
Fermentation processes in the rumen of ruminants when using sunflower husk subjected to ultrasound treatment in combination with phytobiotics were studied. During the experiment, the formation of terminal metabolites in the ruminal fluid as well as the formation of methane were determined. The object of the study was the rumen fluid, which was selected from bulls of Kazakh whiteheaded breed at the age of 12 months with the average weight of 230-235 kg. Chronic rumen fistula (n = 3) was identified according to the method of A.A. Aliev. The following samples were incubated by in vitro method using the ANKOM Daisy II device (modifications D200 and D200I) according to a specialized technique: control (sample N 1): Mechanically ground husk + hydromodulus (water) + ultrasound treatment at 20 °C, 15 min, 27 kHz; sample N 2: sample N 1 + gamma-octalactone (0.25 ml); sample N 3: sample N 1 + quercetin (10.0 mg); sample N 4: sample N 1 + 7-hydroxycoumarin (2.0 mg). Each experiment was conducted in five replications. The digestibility of dry matter, concentration of volatile fatty acids, formation of nitrogenous metabolites and methane concentration were determined. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using software. New data were obtained on the effect of sunflower husk together with phytobiotics on the formation of final metabolites in the rumen fluid. The addition of biologically active substances of gamma-octalactone, quercetin, 7-hydroxycoumarin was found to increase the digestibility of dry matter relative to control by 2.0 (p ≤ 0.05), 3.1 (p ≤ 0.01) and 4.3% (p ≤ 0.05), respectively. An increase in the concentration of volatile fatty acids and nitrogenous fractions was noted when using these substances. The level of methane concentration was 10% lower than that of the control with 7-hydroxycoumarin in sample N 4 (p ≤ 0.01).
