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Research article2019Peer reviewedOpen access

A heritable subset of the core rumen microbiome dictates dairy cow productivity and emissions

Wallace, R. John; Sasson, Goor; Garnsworthy, Philip C.; Tapio, Ilma; Gregson, Emma; Bani, Paolo; Huhtanen, Pekka; Bayat, Ali R.; Strozzi, Francesco; Section, Filippo Biscarini; Snelling, Timothy J.; Saunders, Neil; Potterton, Sarah L.; Craigon, James; Minuti, Andrea; Trevisi, Erminio; Callegari, Maria L.; Cappelli, Fiorenzo Piccioli; Cabezas-Garcia, Edward H.; Vilkki, Johanna;
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Abstract

A 1000-cow study across four European countries was undertaken to understand to what extent ruminant microbiomes can be controlled by the host animal and to identify characteristics of the host rumen microbiome axis that determine productivity and methane emissions. A core rumen microbiome, phylogenetically linked and with a preserved hierarchical structure, was identified. A 39-member subset of the core formed hubs in co-occurrence networks linking microbiome structure to host genetics and phenotype (methane emissions, rumen and blood metabolites, and milk production efficiency). These phenotypes can be predicted from the core microbiome using machine learning algorithms. The heritable core microbes, therefore, present primary targets for rumen manipulation toward sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture.

Published in

Science Advances
2019, Volume: 5, number: 7, article number: eaav8391
Publisher: AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE

      SLU Authors

    • Huhtanen, Pekka

      • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Animal and Dairy Science

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aav8391

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/101271