Effects of Supplemental Feeding of Probiotics during Lactation on Rumen Microflora of Calves after Weaning

For the experiment, 8 newborn male Holstein calves were selected that had the same feeding environment, and were of similar ages. They were randomly divided into 2 groups, with 4 in each group. The treatments consisted of feeding active probiotics (Group P) and a normal fed control group (Group C). The growth performance and blood indices were measured; rumen fluid samples were collected after weaning, and 16SrDNA sequencing and LC-MS metabolome detection were performed. Compared with the control group, relative abundances of Deltaproteobacteria, Desulfovibrionales, Bacteroidales_ BS11_gut_group, Desulfovibrionaceae, Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, Acetobacteraceae, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Asaia, [Ruminococcus] gauvreauii_group, Desulfovibrio, Kingella, Selenomonas, Lachnoclostridium in group P were significantly different (P < 0.05). In group P, the metabolite of 2-methylbenzoic acid and myo-inositol were significantly increased (P < 0.05). These results showed that compared with normally fed calves, the growth performance and blood indices of probiotic-fed calves were changed, but the differences were not significant. Probiotic-fed calves showed significant differences in rumen fluid and a small number of metabolites, which were mainly involved in the pathway of carbohydrate metabolism. It proves that the supplemental active probiotics had an effect on the rumen microflora.