Effects of melatonin on rumen microorganisms and methane production in dairy cow: results from in vitro and in vivo studies

Microbiome

Research

Tiankun Wang¹  Yongqiang Lu²  Xiao Ma³  Xuening Liu³  Shengyu Guan³  Ning Yang³  Guoshi Liu³  Yunjie Liu³  Haiying Yu³  Songyang Yao³  Yao Fu³  Huigang Han³  Yujun Yao³  Shengli Li⁴  Dongying Lv⁵ 

[1] Beijing Changping District Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Beijing, China;Beijing General Station of Animal Husbandry, Beijing, China;College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China;College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China;Beijing Jingwa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center, Beijing, China;Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China;

关键词: Melatonin;    Methane;    VFA;    Rumen;    Microorganism;    Metabolism;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40168-023-01620-z

 received in 2022-09-14, accepted in 2023-07-13,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMethane (CH4) is a major greenhouse gas, and ruminants are one of the sources of CH4 which is produced by the rumen microbiota. Modification of the rumen microbiota compositions will impact the CH4 production. In this study, the effects of melatonin on methane production in cows were investigated both in the in vitro and in vivo studies.ResultsMelatonin treatment significantly reduced methane production in both studies. The cows treated with melatonin reduced methane emission from their respiration by approximately 50%. The potential mechanisms are multiple. First, melatonin lowers the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production in rumen and reduces the raw material for CH4 synthesis. Second, melatonin not only reduces the abundance of Methanobacterium which are responsible for generating methane but also inhibits the populations of protozoa to break the symbiotic relationship between Methanobacterium and protozoa in rumen to further lowers the CH4 production. The reduced VFA production is not associated with food intake, and it seems also not to jeopardize the nutritional status of the cows. This was reflected by the increased milk lipid and protein contents in melatonin treated compared to the control cows. It is likely that the energy used to synthesize methane is saved to compensate the reduced VFA production.ConclusionThis study enlightens the potential mechanisms by which melatonin reduces rumen methane production in dairy cows. Considering the greenhouse effects of methane on global warming, these findings provide valuable information using different approaches to achieve low carbon dairy farming to reduce the methane emission.6uXNnBCVHjJWi7WJQ32EAMVideo Abstract

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

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