Understanding microbiome dynamics and functional responses in feed efficiency variation: a metatranscriptomic study in a beef cattle model

Improving feed efficiency holds promise for enhancing the productivity of ruminants, reducing production costs, and alleviating the food competition between humans and livestock. The rumen, a pivotal digestive organ in ruminants, plays a critical role in this context, with the degradation of dietary fiber by rumen microbes serving as a paramount indicator of feed efficiency. However, the complicated microbial mechanisms within the rumen that cause the varying feed efficiency are still not fully understood. In this study, we employed metatranscriptomic analysis to characterize the dynamic interplay between active ruminal microbiomes and beef cattle with varying feed efficiencies.