Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers
These experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of excessive sulfur on rumen fermentation, microflora, and epithelial barrier function in steers through in vitro gas production and animal feeding experiments. Nine and four levels of sulfur addition were evaluated in in vitro ruminal fermenta...
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2545 |
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| author | Hao Wu Yan Li Qingxiang Meng Zhenming Zhou |
| author_facet | Hao Wu Yan Li Qingxiang Meng Zhenming Zhou |
| author_sort | Hao Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | These experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of excessive sulfur on rumen fermentation, microflora, and epithelial barrier function in steers through in vitro gas production and animal feeding experiments. Nine and four levels of sulfur addition were evaluated in in vitro ruminal fermentation and animal feeding experiment, respectively. The results showed that increasing the level of sulfur in substrates decreased the total gas and methane production linearly, while increasing the production of hydrogen sulfide gas (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Volatile fatty acid concentrations, especially that of butyric acid, were increased by extra sulfur (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Sulfur content in the diet had no significant effect (<i>p</i> > 0.05) on most of the rumen microbes, except for <i>Desulfovibrio</i>, one of the major sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the rumen, whose population increased by adding extra sulfur (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The changes in the morphology of rumen epithelium and thickening of the total epithelial layer were mainly attributed to the increase in the acanthosis cell layer and stratum basale (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Further, the relative expressions of two tight junction protein regulating genes, CLDN-1 and TJP1, were reduced (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Excessive sulfur in the diet can change the type of rumen fermentation, sulfate metabolism and SRB population, and the rumen epithelial barrier function. The results of this study demonstrated that sulfur can be used as a methane inhibitor with the mechanism that SRB competitively used protons to produce hydrogen sulfide. However, a higher level of sulfur in the diet could increase the inflammatory reaction of the rumen epithelium which may affect nutrient absorption. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:58:01Z |
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| id | doaj.art-61abb8e4be094ced96bee9af5e01a67a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:58:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-61abb8e4be094ced96bee9af5e01a67a2023-11-22T11:41:45ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-08-01119254510.3390/ani11092545Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in SteersHao Wu0Yan Li1Qingxiang Meng2Zhenming Zhou3State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaThese experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of excessive sulfur on rumen fermentation, microflora, and epithelial barrier function in steers through in vitro gas production and animal feeding experiments. Nine and four levels of sulfur addition were evaluated in in vitro ruminal fermentation and animal feeding experiment, respectively. The results showed that increasing the level of sulfur in substrates decreased the total gas and methane production linearly, while increasing the production of hydrogen sulfide gas (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Volatile fatty acid concentrations, especially that of butyric acid, were increased by extra sulfur (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Sulfur content in the diet had no significant effect (<i>p</i> > 0.05) on most of the rumen microbes, except for <i>Desulfovibrio</i>, one of the major sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the rumen, whose population increased by adding extra sulfur (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The changes in the morphology of rumen epithelium and thickening of the total epithelial layer were mainly attributed to the increase in the acanthosis cell layer and stratum basale (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Further, the relative expressions of two tight junction protein regulating genes, CLDN-1 and TJP1, were reduced (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Excessive sulfur in the diet can change the type of rumen fermentation, sulfate metabolism and SRB population, and the rumen epithelial barrier function. The results of this study demonstrated that sulfur can be used as a methane inhibitor with the mechanism that SRB competitively used protons to produce hydrogen sulfide. However, a higher level of sulfur in the diet could increase the inflammatory reaction of the rumen epithelium which may affect nutrient absorption.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2545beef cattlehigh sulfur dietrumen fermentationmicrobiologybarrier function |
| spellingShingle | Hao Wu Yan Li Qingxiang Meng Zhenming Zhou Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers Animals beef cattle high sulfur diet rumen fermentation microbiology barrier function |
| title | Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers |
| title_full | Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers |
| title_fullStr | Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers |
| title_short | Effect of High Sulfur Diet on Rumen Fermentation, Microflora, and Epithelial Barrier Function in Steers |
| title_sort | effect of high sulfur diet on rumen fermentation microflora and epithelial barrier function in steers |
| topic | beef cattle high sulfur diet rumen fermentation microbiology barrier function |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2545 |
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