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Exploring Rumen Microbial Circadian Biology to Improve Food Safet
Advances in dairy Research

Advances in dairy Research
Open Access

ISSN: 2329-888X

+44 1300 500008

Editorial - (2015) Volume 3, Issue 4

Exploring Rumen Microbial Circadian Biology to Improve Food Safety and Security

Akbar Nikkhah*
Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
*Corresponding Author: Akbar Nikkhah, Chief Highly Distinguished Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 313-45195, Iran, Tel: +98-241-5152801, Fax: +98-241-5283202 Email:

Abstract

This perspective article introduces an innovative roadmap for research and farm application based on optimizing rumen microbial circadian biology to help minimize metabolic disorders and foodproducing ruminant health and efficiency. Suitable feedstuffs must be fed at optimal times of the circadian phase in optimal relation to milking and housing management. Certain microbial populations may be negatively sensitive to given combinations of sugars, starches, proteins and fats. Discovering optimal harmonies amongst circadian rhythms of ruminant, rumen, and their environmental management is key towards improving food safety and security for humans in the new era.

Keywords: Microbial ecology; Rumen; Physiology; Circadian rhythm

Philosophy for Practice

Ruminants have evolved to graze mostly during day, especially at the beginning and end of the light phase. As such, they have evolved to ruminate predominantly overnight when little grazing/easting occurs [1-5]. Rumination stimulates chewing and insalivation to effectively neutralize rumen acids and help maintain stable and healthy rumen conditions [2-4]. It thus seems that ruminants experience more stable or more tolerant rumen environment during evening and night times [2,3,5]. Should that be the case, rumen microbial populations must have circadian properties in fermenting ruminated ingesta. In so doing, rumen should possess differential capacities for bioprocessing of different substrates. In modern ruminant farming with no grazing, however, such natural patterns of rumen ecology are in ways interrupted or altered [6-10]. For instance, feed delivery could well be exercised during evening and night hours. Milking does essentially occur overnight and early morning. Thus, it is critical to discover optimal combinations of feeding, milking, housing and health management [11-16].

Recent findings suggest that nocturnal vs. morning feeding can improve feed intake and milk fat and energy production in dairy cows [5-7,10-12]. Data, also, suggest that rumen encounters more periprandial fluctuations in feed intake and rumen conditions rhythms when ruminants are fed at night vs. morning [10-12]. These discoveries would question the conventional belief that higher fluctuations in rumen conditions are rather harmful to healthy rumen physiology and ruminant production [13,14]. Instead, it appears that rumen can develop tolerance against those conditions that are considered risky under practical scenarios [15-18]. Rumen, thus, possesses specialized circadian rhythm in its microbial properties that must be matched optimally with nutritional characteristics of feeds and patterns of environmental cues.

It is time to formulate strategies that optimize rumen microbiology based on circadian rhythms of rumen fermentation and microbial metabolism [19]. Advanced rumen microbiology must take initiatives to embrace circadian microbial properties towards more specialized feeding management and reduced risks of subacute rumen acidosis and related metabolic abnormalities [18-20]. Specific microbial populations and activities must be uncovered to enable optimal utilization of risky feed components at optimal circadian times under competitive feeding and housing environments.

Implication

The evolutionary trends of ruminant physiology and metabolism provide evidence to uncover specialized circadian rhythms in rumen microbial properties. This is to improve rumen health and microbial interactions towards greater fibre digestion and lower risks of subacute rumen acidosis and related metabolic and immune problem. Prospects are vast and vivid in harmonizing feeding and housing management with circadian rumen microbial characteristics. The goal is reducing waste and increasing microbial efficiency and health.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the Ministry of Science Research and Technology and National Elite Foundation for supporting the author’s global programs of optimizing science edification in the third millennium.

References

  1. Nikkhah A (2011) Bioscience of ruminant intake evolution: feeding time models. AdvBiosciBiotechnol 2: 271-274.
  2. Nikkhah A (2013) Review: Chronophysiology of ruminant feeding behavior and metabolism: an evolutionary review. Biol. Rhythm Res 44: 197-218.
  3. Nikkhah A (2014) Timing of feeding: a postmodern management strategy to modulate chronophysiological rhythms in rumen fermentation kinetics. Biol Rhythm Res 45: 533-540.
  4. Nikkhah A (2011) Ruminant chronophysiological management: an emerging bioscience. Open Access AnimPhysiol 3: 9-12.
  5. Nikkhah A (2012) Time of Feeding an Evolutionary Science. Lap Lambert Publishing, GmbH & Co. KG, Germany.
  6. Nikkhah A, Furedi CJ, Kennedy AD, Crow GH, Plaizier JC (2008) Effects of feed delivery time on feed intake, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and productivity of lactating cows. J Dairy Sci 91: 1-12.
  7. Nikkhah A, Furedi C, Kennedy A, Wittenberg K, Plaizier JC (2010) Feed delivery at 2100 h vs. 0900 h for lactating dairy cows. Can J AnimSci 91:113-122.
  8. Small JA, Kennedy AD, Veira DM, McCaughey WP, Ward DR (2004) Time of feeding and growth promotant effects on the winter growth performance and carcass traits of steers. Can JAnimSci 84: 133-144.
  9. Schwartzkopf-Genswein KS, Beauchemin KA, McAllister TA, Gibb DJ, Streeter M, et al. (2004) Effect of feed delivery fluctuations and feeding time on ruminal acidosis, growth performance, and feeding behavior of feedlot cattle. J AnimSci 82: 3357-3365.
  10. Nikkhah A (2013) Time of feed provision (2100 vs. 0900 h) orchestrates postprandial rhythms of food intake and peripheral glucose in lactating cows. Biol Rhythm Res 44: 33-44.
  11. Nikkhah A(2012) Timing of feed presentation entrains periprandial rhythms of energy metabolism indicators in once-daily fed lactating cows. Biol Rhythm Res 43: 651-661.
  12. Nikkhah A (2014) Timing of feeding: a postmodern management strategy to modulate chronophysiological rhythms in rumen fermentation kinetics. Biol Rhythm Res 45: 533-540.
  13. Nikkhah A (2014) Managing nutritional disorders by timing of food observation and ingestion: Insights from dairy science. Int J Dairy Sci Process 2:1-2.
  14. Nikkhah A (2014) Review: Ruminant feed intake regulation evolution: Chronophysiological rhythms perspectives. Biol Rhythm Res 45: 563-577.
  15. Nikkhah A (2015) Cereals Bond Trounces Subacute Rumen Acidosis. Int J Vet Health Sci Res 3: 1-2.
  16. Nikkhah A (2015) The Art of Manipulating Nutrient Bioprocessing In Ruminants: Behind the Rumen Wheel. J Bioprocess Biotech 5:e134.
  17. Nikkhah A (2015) Optimizing Diurnal Patterns of Feed Intake and Rumen Fermentation based on Milking Management. J Adv Dairy Res 3:e122.
  18. Nikkhah A (2015) Sustainable, Safe and Secure Human Food Production through Circadian Probiotic Optimization of Rumen Fermentation: A Farsighted Realm. J Prob Health 2015 3:1.
  19. Nikkhah A (2015) On Rumen Microbial Evolution: Food Security Prospects.J JFoodNutri 2: 011.
  20. Nikkhah A (2015) Establishing Rhythmic Regularities in Cell Physiology: A Novel Global Program to Thwart Cancer. J Nutr Health Food Eng 2:00052.
Citation: Nikkhah A (2015) Exploring Rumen Microbial Circadian Biology to Improve Food Safety and Security. J Adv Dairy Res. 3:e129.

Copyright: © 2015 Nikkhah A. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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