Molecular hydrogen generated by elemental magnesium supplementation alters rumen fermentation and microbiota in goats

• DOI: 10.1017/s0007114517002161
• Publication Date: 2017-09-20T06:34:52Z
• Authors: Min Wang; Rong Wang; XiuMin Zhang; Emilio M. Ungerfeld; Donglei Long; HongXiang Mao; JinZhen Jiao; Karen A. Beauchemin; Zhiliang Tan
• Keywords: Methanogen

Abstract We tested the hypotheses that supplementation of a diet with elemental Mg increases ruminal dissolved H 2 (dH ) in rumen fluid, which turn alters fermentation and microbial community goats. In randomised block design, twenty growing goats were allocated to two treatments fed same basal 1·45 % Mg(OH) or 0·6 Mg. After 28 d adaptation, we collected total faeces measure tract digestibility, contents analyse end products groups, measured methane (CH 4 emission using respiration chambers. Ruminal 2+ concentration was similar both treatments. Elemental increased dH at 2·5 h post morning feeding (+180 %, P <0·001). decreased volatile fatty acid (−8·6 <0·001), acetate:propionate ratio (−11·8 <0·03) fungal copy numbers (−63·6 =0·006), propionate molar percentage (+11·6 methanogen (+47·9 CH (+35·6 <0·001) emissions (+11·7 =0·03), compared supplementation. The bacterial composition overall similar. negatively correlated acetate ( <0·05), positively <0·05). summary, concentration, inhibited fermentation, enhanced methanogenesis seemed shift pathways from propionate, altered microbiota by decreasing fungi increasing methanogens.