SeaCow: Promoting ‘efficient, low emitting’ cows through nutritional manipulation of the rumen microbiome" (copy)
1 Formål
The objective of the SeaCow project is to characterize the microbiome-host interactions that underlie the metabolic transformation during inhibition of enteric methane production in cows using novel seaweed-based nutritional manipulation strategies. For this, 15 cows (details provided below) fed a standard farm diet with ad libitum access will be grouped into three dietary treatments (CONTROL diet, 0.25% SEAWEED diet, and 0.5% SEAWEED diet). Data will be collected on standard production parameters, and rumen (through rumen cannula and esophageal tubing) and plasma samples (through venipuncture) will be taken at planned time-points.
2 Skadevirkninger
-The planned seaweed level is not expected to have any distress based on our previous work with sheep and lactating goats (FOTSID:16406). This has been confirmed by others using similar/higher inclusion level (Roque et al 2019 & 2020).
-Rumen fluid sampling through cannula is not expected to create any distress as these cows have prior exposure to such samplings (Note: We plan to use cows which have been cannulated for previous experiments). On the other hand, esophageal tubing on the intact cows may represent a mild/moderate distress because of the restriction of the animals' movement activity due to the tethering and insertion of esophageal tubing. Expected distress is equivalent to drenching under farm conditions with 6 planned sampling points over 74 days.
-Blood samples for plasma metabolites will be taken at 4 time points over the experimental period of 74 days. This sampling is expected to have a mild short-lived distress for the cows.
3 Forventet nytteverdi
Confirmation of the hypothesis that the seaweed of interest can inhibit enteric methane emission in dairy cows and mapping the microbiome-host interactions that underlie the metabolic transformation during this inhibition will:
-provide basic and practical knowledge on our efforts to reduce green house gas (GHG) emission from ruminants using natural products
-produce an in-depth knowledge and ground-breaking discovery in the underlying mechanisms with the microbiome-host axis during this inhibition
4 Antall dyr og art
Fifteen lactating (9 rumen cannulated, and 6 intact) cows
5 Hvordan etterleve 3R
Originally, the project was planned with 24 intact cows over an experimental period of 16 weeks.
- However, the current REDUCED number of animals (i.e., 15; 5 cows per treatment) and over 74 days is due to the fact that we have a good number of lactating rumen cannulated cows from previous experiments that we plan to re-use. We have down-scaled the number of cows through frequent sampling plans from these rumen cannulated cows for a proper statistical evaluation through repeated measures analysis of variance.
- We have tested the efficacy of the seaweed with an in vitro model by using ANKOM Gas Production (i.e., REPLACEMENT) with data suggesting the current seaweed inclusion levels will orchestrate some hypothesized changes in the rumen.
- Furthermore, the re-use of the already existing cannulated cows in the farm for this experiment through rigorous planning and avoiding new cannulations, and avoiding esophageal tubing for most of the cows is part the REFINEMENT attribute of the 3R.
The objective of the SeaCow project is to characterize the microbiome-host interactions that underlie the metabolic transformation during inhibition of enteric methane production in cows using novel seaweed-based nutritional manipulation strategies. For this, 15 cows (details provided below) fed a standard farm diet with ad libitum access will be grouped into three dietary treatments (CONTROL diet, 0.25% SEAWEED diet, and 0.5% SEAWEED diet). Data will be collected on standard production parameters, and rumen (through rumen cannula and esophageal tubing) and plasma samples (through venipuncture) will be taken at planned time-points.
2 Skadevirkninger
-The planned seaweed level is not expected to have any distress based on our previous work with sheep and lactating goats (FOTSID:16406). This has been confirmed by others using similar/higher inclusion level (Roque et al 2019 & 2020).
-Rumen fluid sampling through cannula is not expected to create any distress as these cows have prior exposure to such samplings (Note: We plan to use cows which have been cannulated for previous experiments). On the other hand, esophageal tubing on the intact cows may represent a mild/moderate distress because of the restriction of the animals' movement activity due to the tethering and insertion of esophageal tubing. Expected distress is equivalent to drenching under farm conditions with 6 planned sampling points over 74 days.
-Blood samples for plasma metabolites will be taken at 4 time points over the experimental period of 74 days. This sampling is expected to have a mild short-lived distress for the cows.
3 Forventet nytteverdi
Confirmation of the hypothesis that the seaweed of interest can inhibit enteric methane emission in dairy cows and mapping the microbiome-host interactions that underlie the metabolic transformation during this inhibition will:
-provide basic and practical knowledge on our efforts to reduce green house gas (GHG) emission from ruminants using natural products
-produce an in-depth knowledge and ground-breaking discovery in the underlying mechanisms with the microbiome-host axis during this inhibition
4 Antall dyr og art
Fifteen lactating (9 rumen cannulated, and 6 intact) cows
5 Hvordan etterleve 3R
Originally, the project was planned with 24 intact cows over an experimental period of 16 weeks.
- However, the current REDUCED number of animals (i.e., 15; 5 cows per treatment) and over 74 days is due to the fact that we have a good number of lactating rumen cannulated cows from previous experiments that we plan to re-use. We have down-scaled the number of cows through frequent sampling plans from these rumen cannulated cows for a proper statistical evaluation through repeated measures analysis of variance.
- We have tested the efficacy of the seaweed with an in vitro model by using ANKOM Gas Production (i.e., REPLACEMENT) with data suggesting the current seaweed inclusion levels will orchestrate some hypothesized changes in the rumen.
- Furthermore, the re-use of the already existing cannulated cows in the farm for this experiment through rigorous planning and avoiding new cannulations, and avoiding esophageal tubing for most of the cows is part the REFINEMENT attribute of the 3R.