Use of H-NMR on ruminal fluid and high throughput 454 GS FLX pyrosequencing of ruminal bacterial community to investigate ruminal microbiota establishment and metabolism maturation of calves from birth to weaning

The feeding program of calves differed between day 5 to day 56: 8 calves were fed milk replacer once a day whereas the 8 others were fed milk replacer twice a day. Samples of ruminal content were obtained via a stomach tube from each calf from birth to weaning at different dates. Amplicons were pyrosequenced using 454 GS FLX Titanium and H-NMR spectroscopy was used to analyse rumen metabolites.